WO2005103991A1

WO2005103991A1 - Pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device

Info

Publication number: WO2005103991A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/004179
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rainer Fritz Robert Doll; Fred J.M. Slot
Original assignee: Medwatchdog Kg
Priority date: 2004-04-20
Filing date: 2004-04-20
Publication date: 2005-11-03

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) for monitoring and signaling pre-determined time-points for administering medicine comprises a pocket-type housing (10) which contains: a local data input unit (40), a memory unit (30), a display unit (60), an alarm unit (50), a control unit (20), a rechargeable power supply unit (70) and a connector to a testing unit (90).

Description

Pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device

The present invention relates to a pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device, i.e. a hand-held device, for determining a test value from a body fluid and for making the administering of medical preparations easier, especially to signal the set administering time-point of medicines to a user, to determine the necessary amount of medicines to be administered according to a test value gained from a body fluid of the user, and to monitor the set administering of medicines by the user.

Due to the development of pharmaceutical chemistry and medical science pharmaceuticals have been developed for the curing of an increasing number of illnesses or the treatment of their symptoms. The essence of these is that depending on the amount and effective mechanism of the active agent, the medical preparation is to be administered orally at a determined frequency, in the prescribed and/or necessary amount in the form of a solution or tablet, or administered in the form of an injection into the body, or used in another way. In the case of a high number of medicines and varying administration intervals, furthermore, in the case of the elderly it may be a problem to use the prescribed and/or necessary medical preparation in the appropriate amount and at the desired point in time.

Further, the appropriate amount of the necessary medical preparation for a patient, e.g. the necessary amount of insulin, often depends on the daytime, the eating habits of the patient, the last and/or next meal, the general health situation of the patient, etc. Therefore, the appropriate amount of the necessary medical preparation has to be determined with the help of a test value which has to be gained from a body fluid of the patient, e.g. the actual glucose level gained from a blood drop of the patient, before the medical preparation can be administered.

The Hungarian patent specification HU 215.227 presents a device for the dosing out of various medicines to a given person, the essence of which is that the amounts and types of the medicines according to the treatment given are determined with the help of an identifier assigned to a given patient, which, following this, with the help of a dosage device, are placed into a storage vessel, checked and only following this are they given to the person being treated.

The advantage of this solution is that in the case of a large number of patients and numerous types of medicine the danger of the administering of the incorrect medicine is reduced and the work and responsibility of the nursing staff administering the medicines is moderated.

However, its disadvantage is that it can not be used in the case of persons undergoing long-term treatment, and the suffering from a chronic disease but who are free to move and carry out work. A further disadvantage is that the known device does not allow determining the appropriate amount of necessary medical preparation. Another disadvantage is that the known device is not suitable for warning the individual patients to take the various medicines at the set time, for calling the attention of the patient to an abnormality in the case a medicine is not taken, and in the case it is necessary to attract the attention of those persons in the vicinity of the patient. Vessels containing several compartments suitable for the storage of medicines that have been dosed out are also known, in which vessels the preparations to be taken at various times are grouped according to the time of the day.

The US patent US 6,198,695 Bl discloses a portable medical event-monitoring device which is programmable via an external host and a corresponding data transmission box only. Further, said known portable medical _.event-monitoring device only records missed event times such that, e.g., the doctor can monitor the regular administering of the medicines by the user.

The US patent US 5,954,641 A discloses a portable medical assistant device which is also programmable via an external personal computer and a corresponding communication port only. Further, said known portable medical assistant device is provided with several medication compartments such that an electronic pillbox. Furthermore, said known portable medical assistant device only asks the user for his/her health status, records the answers to these questions and reminds the user on administering the medicines.

The US patent US 5,657,236 A discloses a portable patient communicator which only displays messages which are received shortly before displaying from an external central monitoring system via a two-way wireless communication system. Said known portable patient communicator offers the user the possibility to answer questions received as messages from the external central monitoring system wherein the answers are promptly transmitted wirelessly to the external central monitoring system. One disadvantage which is common to said known vessels, to said known portable medical event-monitoring device, to said known portable medical assistant device and to said known portable patient communicator, is that, similarly to those mentioned previously, these known devices do not emit a signal in the case a medicine is not taken, and so they are not able to give a warning at the time when a given medicine is to be taken, either.

The PCT-application WO 2004/006828 Al discloses a signaling device to make the administering of medical preparations easier. However, this signaling device is only able to signal the administering time-points of medicines to the user.

With the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention our aim was to overcome the deficiencies of the known devices and to create a version with the help of which it is possible to warn the person undergoing treatment and to determine the required amount of necessary medical preparation at the prescribed time, and over and above this, in the case of necessity for the data of the active agent to be administered at the given point in time to be easily accessible to an external party, e.g. a nurse or doctor.

The recognition that led us to the arrangement according to the present invention was that if the names of the medicines and their dosage times are fed into a uniquely set up memory unit that is in connection with electronic elements, in particular with a suitable sensor and a processing unit, and the time point data stored there is compared to a signal provided by a time measuring device in a continuous cycle then the task can be solved. As due to the development of electronics and computing electronic construction elements have gone through such a degree of size reduction that provides the possibility to realize the solution described previously in very small physical dimensions.

In accordance with the set aim the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention for monitoring and signaling pre-determined time- points for administering medicine, comprises a pocket-type housing and commonly within said pocket-type housing: a local data input unit, a memory unit, a display unit, an alarm unit, a control unit, a rechargeable power supply unit, and a connector to a testing unit . The local data input unit has push-buttons and comprises an acknowledgment button and a fourfold D-pad in a wall of the pocket-type housing, wherein the local data input unit is provided for inputting personal data of a user and administering data for the user. The fourfold D-pad can be compared with four individual pushbuttons arranged as a rhombus and integrally formed, and is usually used as a cursor moving element. The memory unit is provided for storing menu data, the personal data and the administering data, wherein the memory unit comprises a basic storage register which is pre-programmed with a menu-program fetchable and selectable by operation of the local data input unit, a personal data storage register for storing the personal data of the user on operation of the local data input unit and a medicine and time-data storage register for storing the administering data of the medicines on operation of the local data input unit. In particular, the basic storage register can be pre-programmed on manufacture with the menu-program, other instructions, letters and numbers. The display unit comprises an alpha-numeric display in the wall of the pocket-type housing for displaying alpha- numerical data. The alarm unit comprises a sound signaling component, a light signaling component and a vibrational signaling component, wherein said signaling components are selectively settable via the local data input unit and wherein the light signaling component is different to the display unit. The control unit controls the local data input unit, the display unit, the memory unit and the alarm unit, and comprises an internal clock for generating internal time data and a comparator circuit for comparing administering time-points stored in the time-data storage register with data of the internal clock. The display unit and the alarm unit are controlled by the control unit on occurrence of each administering time-point stored in the time-data storage register to display administering data and to periodically emit an un-suppressible alarm signal via selected ones of said signaling components until stopped by acknowledging via the acknowledgment button. I.e., the administering data are displayed on the display of the display unit simultaneously to emitting the alarm signal via the alarm unit. As soon as the acknowledgment button is operated by the user or a person helping the user, the alarm unit stops emitting the alarm signal and the display returns into stand-by mode. Further, the display unit and the alarm unit are controlled by the control unit to display personal data and to simultaneously emit an emergency alarm if a pre-determined number of emitted alarm signals is not acknowledged via the acknowledgment _.button, wherein the emergency alarm is emitted simultaneously via all said signaling components at a high force.

Further, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention comprises a first connector for connecting to a corresponding second connector of a testing unit which comprises a sensor adapted to determine a test value of a body fluid of the user. Further, the control unit is adapted to receive the test value transmitted from the sensor to the control unit and to control the display unit to display the received test value. The first connector may be a female connector and the second connector may be a male connector corresponding to the female connector, or vice versa. Alternatively, the first connector may be identical to the second connector and, then, for connecting the first connector to the second connector a suitable adapter and connection cable is necessary.

According to the present invention, the local data input unit is adapted such that the user is able to locally program the personal data storage register and the medicine and time-data storage register via the local data input unit on basis of the pre-programmed menu-program, other instructions, letters and numbers stored in the basic storage register. The pocket- type medical monitoring and signaling device may also be provided with a suitable connector such that the user may alternatively program the personal data and the administering data via an appropriate graphical user interface at his/her personal computer. Such a suitable connector may be a USB jack, i.e. a plug socket according to the Universal Serial Bus standard (USB) , an infrared transmission connector or a serial port, e.g., according to the RS232 standard.

In particular, the present invention relates to a pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device, i.e. a hand-held device, being locally programmable by the user for administering the time-point of medicines for the user. One important feature of the claimed pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device is that the personal data of the user as well as the administering data are directly programmed by the user into the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device without the necessity of an external computer and the like for programming. I.e., the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device provides local programming to the user. Another important feature is the fact that the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device monitors the acknowledgment of the set administering time-points of medicines by the user and emits an emergency alarm by simultaneously operating the sound signaling component, the light signaling component and the vibrational signaling component if a predetermined number of indications of the set administering time-point of medicines is/are not acknowledged. This emergency alarm is in particular advantageous in an emergency case when the user of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device collapses, e.g., on a park bench and needs help, to draw the attention of other people visiting the park onto the user needing help .

The control unit may further be adapted to provide a stop watch function for the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device. Such a stop watch function may be important if the user of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device is doing sports. If the user is a diabetic the amount of insulin inter alia depends on the physical fitness of the user. Therefore, if the user is doing sports the amount of insulin may be decreased in accordance to the duration of the sports activity. Such a stop watch function may also be carried out as a background function, i.e. the display unit 60 may display any other information than the counting time of the stop watch while the stop watch is running. Preferably, the local data input unit further comprises a select button. Then, the menu-program pre-programmed into the basic storage register can be displayed on the display unit, fetched and scrolled by operation of the fourfold D-pad, and an individual menu-program entry of a plurality of menu- program entries can be selected by operation of said select button. Said plurality of menu-program entries may comprise an alpha-numeric character set, i.e. letters, numbers and special characters. Additionally, a plurality of similar character sets in different font styles may be provided.

The control unit is preferably adapted to determine the administering data of the medicines in dependency on at least the test value received from the sensor of the testing unit. In particular, the control unit may compare the received test value with values listed in a corresponding table of values stored in the medicine storage register and may then determine from this list the necessary amount of medicine to be administered by the user.

It is preferred that the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device further comprises a supplementary energy store in the pocket-type housing coupled to the rechargeable power source unit for supplying power to the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device even if the rechargeable power source unit is empty to guarantee that the user is safely signaled.

The testing unit according to the invention comprises a sensor adapted to determine a test value of a body fluid of a user, and a second connector for connecting to a corresponding first connector of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention as described above. Further, the testing unit is adapted to transmit the determined test value of the sensor to the control unit of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device.

Preferably, the testing unit further comprises a testing unit housing and an optical output component and/or an audio output component, wherein the testing unit is an autonomous device being adapted to determine the test value of the body fluid of the user and to output the determined test value via at least one of said output components. The optical output component may be a display component and the audio output component may be a loudspeaker.

The testing unit further comprises in a preferred embodiment a memory component , a control component and a power source component .

Additionally, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention may have fitted to the pocket-type housing a fixing component being connected to the alarm unit. If the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device is unauthorized removed from the user, e.g. by theft or loss, the alarm unit signals the unauthorized removal to attract attention of the user.

The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention has numerous advantageous characteristics. The most important of these is its simple operation and large number of signaling time-points in spite of its small size, as well as the medical preparation that can be assigned to the time-points, also it is suitable for the recording and storage of the important personal data of the person using it, so at the pre-programmed time it does not only warn the user of the device to take his/her medicine, but also gives the name and amount of the medical preparation to be used at that time-point. In particular, the amount of the medical preparation can be determined at each time-point via the sensor of the testing unit by determining a test value from a body fluid of the user.

Another advantage is that the suitably set up alarm unit may give out several types of signals at the same time, which makes it easier to notice, and so it gives an even more efficient warning to the person undergoing treatment. In particular, the alarm unit may be set up that only the mechanical signaling component is activated at the pre- programmed time-point, e.g., if the user goes to a concert or in a restaurant and does not want to draw the attention of other guests of the concert or the restaurant to himself/herself .

Also to be listed among the advantages is that due to the storage of the personal data, the illness related to the user and the names of the life-saving medicine (s), as well as the modern set up of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device, it can not just be used for warning, but also as a unit that calls for help, as in the case that the warning signal is not reset, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device automatically emits an emergency alarm, which also calls the attention of the persons in the vicinity of the patient to himself/herself, and these persons can give help to the person in need on the basis of the instructions on the display of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device. Another advantage is that the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention can be easily manufactured as well as easily operated and programmed by the user, furthermore, its maintenance requirement is small, and this does neither require training nor specialist knowledge.

Due to the arrangement of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device it has small dimensions, which assists in its positioning, so it may be carried in the pocket or on a belt, and due to this at every moment it can be in the immediate vicinity of the person undergoing treatment, advantageously on his/her clothing, which further increases its effectiveness.

In the following we present the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention in detail on the basis of the enclosed drawings. In the drawings :

Figure 1 shows a block sketch of an embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a top view of a first embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a top view of a second embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention with removed testing unit; and Figure 4 shows a front-bottom view of the testing unit of the second embodiment of the present invention. In Fig.l a block sketch of an embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 according to the present invention is shown. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 comprises a pocket-type housing 10 whose external surface comprises a fixing component 80. Due to this fixing component 80 the pocket-type housing 10 and so the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 itself can be attached, e.g., to a belt. The pocket-type housing 10 contains an alarm unit 50, which comprises a sound signaling component 51, a light signaling component 52 and a mechanical, e.g. vibrational, signaling component 53. These signaling components 51, 52, 53 may enter into operation independently of each other, but also at the same time as well, depending on how the user sets up the alarm unit 50.

The pocket-type housing 10 also contains a display unit -60, which in this embodiment is a multi-line LCD display, and, furthermore, a local data input unit 40, which here is formed from a set of push-buttons that have various functions. The local data input unit 40 comprises in this embodiment a function select component 41, a fourfold D-pad 42 as a scroll component, an acknowledgement component 43, a delete component 44, a data fetch component 45 and a start component 46. It is mentioned that the local data input unit 40 can be set up from switching elements that differ in operation principle from that of push-buttons, and the number of switching elements, their function assignment and arrangement can differ from the version presented in this embodiment. Its essence, however, is that a user of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 can fed external information into a memory unit 30 with the help of the local data input unit 40 via a control unit 20, which data can then be displayed on the display unit 60 and changed via the local data input unit 40.

Naturally, the control unit 20 and the memory unit 30 are also contained in the pocket-type housing 10. In this embodiment, the memory unit 30 comprises three parts: a basic storage register 31, a personal data storage register 32 and a medicine and time-data storage register 33. The basic storage register 31 is preferably an electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and contains data preprogrammed on manufacture, such as a menu-program for being displayed on the display unit 60, other instructions, pre- stored text elements, letters belonging to various languages, numbers and other parts of a character set. It is preferable if the personal data storage register 32 and the medicine and time-data storage registers 33 are random access memory (RAM) . The personal data storage register 32 serves for the storage of the important personal data of the user, such as especially the user's name, insurance number, blood group and data on the names of illnesses, while the medicine and time- data storage register 33 is used to record the names of any life-saving medicine (s), the names of any other medical preparations used by the user, their dosages and/or dosage lists with respect to test values, and their time to be taken or otherwise used.

The control unit 20 comprises a programmable microprocessor, and its task is the harmonization of the memory unit 30, the local data input unit 40, the alarm unit 50, the display unit 60 and a testing unit 90 (detailed description follows below) and to ensure the desired operation. In the interest of this, the control unit 20 is connected to a rechargeable power source unit 70 which provides the necessary electrical energy for the operation of the memory unit 30, the alarm unit 50, the display unit 60, the testing unit 90 and the local data input unit 40. The rechargeable power source unit 70 can be recharged via a suitable adapter (not shown) which can be connected to any common power socket . Since such adapters a commonly known to a person skilled in the art a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

In the interest of increasing safety and avoiding accidental data loss, besides the rechargeable power source unit 70, the pocket-type housing 10 also contains a supplementary energy store 71, which preferably consists of two cadmium batteries. The supplementary energy store 71 supplies power to the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 even if the rechargeable power source unit 70 is empty to guarantee that the user is safely signaled.

It is an important characteristic of the present invention that the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 does not comprise any main switch for switching it off.

This ensures that the user is not able to easily deactivate the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 and, thus, that the user is safely reminded of administering his/her medicine (s) .

As can be easily seen in Fig.l, the control unit 20 further comprises an internal clock 21 and a comparator circuit 22. The internal clock 21 is a continuously operating internal clock, which is connected to the input 22a of the comparator circuit 22. The time-data storage register 33 is also in connection with the input 22a of the comparator circuit 22, while in this embodiment the output 22b of the comparator 27918 16 circuit 22 is connected to the alarm unit 50 via the control unit 20.

It has to be mentioned that the lock of the fixing component 80 is connected to the alarm unit 50, which is advantageous because if someone were to take the pocket-type housing 10 off the belt connected to the fixing component 80 without authorization, then the alarm unit 50 automatically signals the theft attempt .

Further, Fig.l shows a testing unit 90 comprising a sensor 91, a male connector 92 which corresponds to an appropriate female connector (not shown) contained in the pocket-type housing 10, an activation and control switch 93, a control component 95, a display component 94, a memory component (not shown) and a power source component (not shown) . The control component 95 is connected to the sensor 91, the male connector 92, the activation and control switch 93, the memory component, the display component and the power source component. The sensor 91 is adapted to determine a test value from a body fluid of the user, e.g. the actual glucose level gained from a blood drop of the user.

Please note that the testing unit 90 is an autonomous device which can also be operated independently of the pocket-type housing 10 of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1. If a user wants to have determined a test value of a body fluid of himself/herself, he/she activates the testing unit 90 by pressing the activation and control switch 93 whereupon the control component 95 of the testing unit 90 runs firstly a power-on self-test. Afterwards, the control component 95 displays on the display component 94 a message to the user to put some body fluid, e.g. a blood drop, onto the sensor 91. Then, the sensor 91 and the control component 95 determine a test value which is displayed on the display component 94. Additionally, the test value is transmitted to the male connector 92 such that the test value may be transmitted to the control unit 20 of the pocket-type housing 10 if the male connector 92 is connected to its appropriate female connector in the pocket-type housing 10. Further, the test value may be stored in the memory component for comparing with other test values at later time such that the course of the test values can also be monitored.

Additionally or alternatively to the display component 94, the testing unit 90 may comprise a loudspeaker such that a user being not able to read, e.g. a blind person or an illiterate person, is also able to use the testing unit 90. In this respect please note that the control component 95 drives the testing unit 90, and therefore all components comprised therein, in a suitable way with the help of the power source component. Furthermore, the testing unit 90 may be provided such that during connection of the male connector 92 with its appropriate female connector in the pocket-type housing 10 the testing unit 90 is mainly driven by the control unit 20 in the pocket-type housing 10. In particular, in the latter case the testing unit 90 may make use of the rechargeable power source unit 70 and of the display unit 60.

In Fig.2 a top view of a first embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 according to the present invention is shown. Components and units already described above with reference to Fig.l will not be described again. Please note that the fixing component 80 shown in Fig.l is not shown in Fig.2. Further, the testing unit 90 is shown without showing the display component comprised in the testing unit 90.

The pocket-type housing 10 of the first embodiment has in top view a front surface with a shape of a slightly elongated rectangular wherein the short sides of the rectangular are slightly bent. In the first embodiment, the local data input unit 40 is arranged at the bottom part of the rectangular front surface, whereas the display unit 60 is arranged between the middle and the upper part of the rectangular front surface. The local data input unit 40 of the first embodiment is arranged with the function select component 41, the fourfold D-pad 42 and the acknowledgement component 43 side by side in a first line, and the delete component 44, the data fetch component 45, and the start component 46 side by side in a second line below the first line. The testing unit 90 has in top view a shape of an extremely elongated rectangular with the sensor 91 arranged adjacent one end of the extremely elongated rectangular and the activation and control switch 93 arranged adjacent the other end of the extremely elongated rectangular, whereas the male connector 92 is arranged in the middle at a long side surface of the extremely elongated rectangular.

After the sensor 91 has determined the test value, the determined test value is transmitted to the control unit 20 via the male connector 92 and its appropriate female connector in the pocket-type housing 10. The control unit 20 compares the transmitted test value with data stored in the medicine storage register 33 and drives the display unit 60 to display the appropriate amount of necessary medicine (s), e.g. insulin, corresponding to the transmitted test value to the user. This is essential for the user since the appropriate amount of necessary medical preparation often depends on the daytime, the eating habits of the patient, the last and/or next meal, the general health situation of the patient, etc.

The testing unit 90 is detachable from the pocket-type housing 10, is autonomously operateable and, therefore, is housed in a separate testing unit housing. The male connector 92 is connected to the sensor 91 of the testing unit 90 either directly or via appropriate driving and/or processing electronics, e.g. the control component 95, whereas the female connector in the pocket-type housing 10 is connected directly to the control unit 20.

During the use of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 according to the present invention, after first switching it on - advantageously - instructions preprogrammed during manufacture appear on the display unit 60, on the basis of which instructions the user may input menu- driven his/her own important personal data with the help of the local data input unit 40 into the personal data storage register 32 of the memory unit 30. For this purpose, the user displays the desired character set with the help of the function select component 41 on the display unit 60, and then selects the desired character with the help of the fourfold D-pad 42 - in a way that is known in itself in connection with other devices and which, thus, is not described in detail here - and confirms this selected letter, number or special character with the acknowledgement component 43. Then he/she inputs the next character in the same way as described before . After filling up the personal data storage register 32 with the help of the function select component 41, a series of operations can be set in motion in which the medicines and other medical preparations used by the given person can be programmed into the medicine and time-data storage register 33 of the memory unit 30. Furthermore, the times the medical preparations are to be taken or used and the amounts to be taken or used and/or the corresponding amount lists are also stored into the medicine and time-data storage register 33 by the user via the local data input unit 40. In order to input the data the function select component 41, the fourfold D-pad 42, the acknowledgement component 43, the delete component 44 and, in a given case, the data fetch component 45 of the local data input unit 40 are used. When this phase of the programming has been completed, then the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 is ready for operation.

When operating the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1, the comparator circuit 22 of the control unit 20 compares the time signal continuously arriving at its input 22a from the internal clock 21 with the programmed time data also arriving at the input 22a from the time-data storage register 33. If the time signal appearing at the input 22a of the comparator circuit 22 and coming from the internal clock 21, and the time data received from the time- data storage register 33 are the same, then an instruction signal appears at the output 22b of the comparator circuit 22, which either directly or - as in this embodiment - via the control unit 20 sets off the alarm unit 50. The alarm unit 50 warns the user of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 with the help of sound and/or light and/or vibration that the time has come to use a medical preparation. Besides switching on the alarm unit 50, the * control unit 20 drives the display unit 60 to display the record belonging to the given time-point and being preprogrammed in the medicine and time-data storage register 33 by the user, so the user can also see what preparation he/she has to take .

The alarm signal (s) given by the alarm unit 50 - optically and/or acoustically and/or mechanically - is/are maintained for a given period and then stop(s) for a short time. In the case that the user does not push the acknowledgement component 43 of the local data input unit 40 upon such alarm signal (s) , the alarm part-unit 50 is set off again. In the case a pre-determined number of repetitions, e.g. three or fifteen times, is reached, the alarm unit 50 automatically switches on the sound signaling component 51, the light signaling component 52 and the mechanical signaling component 53 together as an emergency alarm irrespective of the earlier alarm settings, it even operates the sound signaling component 51 at its highest volume. Over and above this, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 displays the personal data of the user stored in the personal data storage register 32 on the display unit 60.

This emergency alarm usually occurs at an emergency and is maintained until someone, e.g. a medical doctor, presses the acknowledgement component 43 of the local data input unit 40, or until the rechargeable power source unit 70 together with the supplementary energy store 71 run out. If the user acknowledges the alarm signal (s) and the medical preparation belonging to the current administering time point depends on the actual health status of the user, the control unit 20 drives the display unit 60 to" display a corresponding message informing the user that the appropriate amount of necessary medical preparation has to be determined first . Then, the user has to put some body fluid, e.g. a drop of blood, onto the sensor 91 of the testing unit 90 which determines a test value from the sensed body fluid. This test value is transmitted to the control unit 20 which compares the transmitted test value with corresponding values comprised in the amount list previously stored in the medicine and time-data storage register 33. In dependence thereof, the control unit 20 drives the display unit 60 to display to the user the appropriate amount of necessary medical preparation which the user actually has to administer.

In the case of using a new medical preparation, the medicine and time-data storage register 33 can be supplemented or the data stored therein can be overwritten or corrected. This operation can be carried out using the function select component 41, the fourfold D-pad 42, the acknowledgement component 43, the delete component 44, the data fetch component 45, and the start component 46. The work being carried out can be seen on the display unit 60.

In Fig.3 a top view of a second embodiment of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1' according to the present invention with removed testing unit is shown. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1' according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs only slightly from the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention. Components and units already described above with reference to Fig.l and Fig .2 will not be described again. The main differences between the pocket-type housings 10 of the first and second embodiments of the present invention are the shape of the pocket-type housing 10 and the arrangement and shape of the individual components 41 to 46 of the local data input unit 40.

The pocket-type housing 10 of the second embodiment has in top view a front surface with a shape of an elongated rectangular wherein the short sides of the rectangular are slightly bent. In the second embodiment, the local data input unit 40 is arranged at the middle of the rectangular front surface, whereas the display unit 60 is arranged at the upper part of the rectangular front surface . The local data input unit 40 of the second embodiment is arranged with the fourfold D-pad 42 in the middle and the function select component 41, the acknowledgement component 43, the delete component 44, the data fetch component 45, and the start component 46 forming a circle around the fourfold D-pad 42.

As further shown with reference to Fig.4, the shape and arrangement of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment slightly differs to the shape and arrangement of the testing unit 90 of the first embodiment. However, it should be noted that the functionality already described for the testing unit 90 of the first embodiment is equal to that of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment.

In particular different to the testing unit 90 of the first embodiment is the connector 92' of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment. As shown in Fig.4, the connector 92' is provided as interconnecting leads which can be brought into contact with and connected to corresponding connecting pins (not shown) comprised in the pocket-type housing 10 of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device 1' as appropriate connector to the control unit 20.

Additionally, in Fig .4 is shown a display component 94 of rectangular shape which covers most of an elongated rectangular front surface of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment. On a small side surface of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment is arranged the connector 92', whereas on a long side surface of the testing unit 90' of the second embodiment there is arranged the activation and control switch 93.

In summary, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device according to the present invention can be applied well in all cases when it is favorable to warn people undergoing treatment to use the prescribed medical preparations at given times, and in the case of those persons who are undergoing continuous treatment and their illness can involve loss of consciousness, or such serious conditions as a consequence of which they are not able to take life-saving medicine themselves any more .

Although the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device of the present invention has been described above with reference to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that these embodiments are not a limitation of the present invention and that the spirit and scope of the present invention is defined only by the following claims .

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is :

1. A pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) for monitoring and signaling pre-determined time-points for administering medicine, comprising a pocket-type housing (10) and commonly within the pocket-type housing (10) : a local data input unit (40) with push-buttons comprising an acknowledgment button (43) and a fourfold D-pad (42) in a wall of the pocket-type housing (10) , the local data input unit (40) for inputting personal data of a user and administering data for the user, a memory unit (30) for storing menu data, the personal data and the administering data, wherein the memory unit (30) comprises a basic storage register (31) which is preprogrammed with a menu-program fetchable and selectable by operation of the local data input unit (40) , a personal data storage register (32) for storing the personal data of the user on operation of the local data input unit (40) and a medicine and time-data storage register (33) for storing the administering data of the medicines on operation of the local data input unit (40) , a display unit (60) comprising an alpha-numeric display in the wall of the pocket-type housing (10) for displaying alpha-numerical data, an alarm unit (50) comprising a sound signaling component (51) , a light signaling component (52) and a vibrational signaling component (53), said signaling components (51, 52, 53) being selectively settable via the local data input unit (40) , a control unit (20) for controlling the local data input unit (40) , the display unit (60) , the memory unit (30) and the alarm unit (50) , and comprising an internal clock (21) and a comparator circuit (22) for comparing administering time-points stored in the time-data storage register (33) with data of the internal clock (21) , and a rechargeable power supply unit (70) , wherein the display unit (60) and the alarm unit (50) are controlled by the control unit (20) on occurrence of each administering time-point stored in the time-data storage register (33) to display administering data and to periodically emit an un-suppressible alarm signal via selected ones of said signaling components (51, 52, 53) until stopped by acknowledging via the acknowledgment button (43) , and wherein the display unit (60) and the alarm unit (50) are controlled by the control unit (20) to display personal data and to emit emergency alarm if a pre-determined number of emitted alarm signals is not acknowledged via the acknowledgment button (43) , the emergency alarm being emitted simultaneously via all said signaling components (51, 52, 53) at a high force, the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) further comprising a first connector for connecting to a corresponding second connector (92) of a testing unit (90) comprising a sensor (91) adapted to determine a test value of a body fluid of the user, the control unit (20) further being adapted to receive the test value transmitted from the sensor (91) to the control unit (20) and to control the display unit (60) to display the received test value.

2. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (20) is further adapted to provide a stop watch function for the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) .

3. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the local data input unit (40) further comprises a select button (41) , and wherein the menu-program pre-programmed into the basic storage register (31) can be displayed on the display unit (60) , fetched and scrolled by operation of the fourfold D-pad (42) , and wherein an individual menu-program entry of a plurality of menu-program entries can be selected by operation of the select button (41) .

4. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of menu- program entries comprises an alpha-numeric character set.

5. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the control unit (20) is adapted to determine the administering data of the medicines in dependency on at least the test value received from the sensor (91) of the testing unit (90) .

6. The pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a supplementary energy store (71) in the pocket-type housing (1) coupled to the rechargeable power source unit (70) for supplying power to the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) even if the rechargeable power source unit (70) is empty to guarantee that the user is safely signaled.

7. A testing unit (90) comprising a sensor (91) adapted to determine a test value of a body fluid of a user, and a second connector (92) for connecting to a corresponding first connector of a pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, the testing unit (90) being adapted to transmit the determined test value of the sensor (91) to a control unit (20) of the pocket-type medical monitoring and signaling device (1) .

8. The testing unit (90) according to claim 7, further comprising a testing unit housing and an optical output component and/or an audio output component, wherein the testing unit (90) is an autonomous device being adapted to determine the test value of the body fluid of the user and to output the determined test value via at least one of said output components .

9. The testing unit (90) according to claim 8, wherein the optical output component is a display component (94) and the audio output component is a loudspeaker.

10. The testing unit (90) according to any of claims 7 to 9, further comprising a memory component, a control component and a power source component.