Portable computing device for accessing shareable portion(s) of health data

Abstract

A portable computing device for accessing shareable portion(s) of health data includes a wireless interface, an access code entry device configured to receive entry of an access code, and an entry device configured to receive user input. The portable computing device also includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored at a memory to initiate transmission of data indicating the access code to a server and, conditioned on the access code matching a particular access code that is set by a device and that enables access to health information, receive at least a portion of the health information that is designated as shareable by a computing device. The portable computing device also includes a display device configured to display information based on the received portion of the health data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable computing device comprising:
 a wireless interface communicatively coupled to a network;   an access code entry device configured to receive entry of an access code and to generate input data indicative of the access code;   an entry device configured to receive user input;   a display device;   a processor coupled to the wireless interface, to the access code entry device, and to the entry device; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:
 initiate receipt of the access code at the access code entry device; 
 initiate transmission of data via the wireless interface to a server, the data indicating the access code; 
 conditioned on the access code matching a particular access code that is set by a device controlled by a person and that enables access to health information of the person, receive, via the wireless interface, at least a portion of health data that corresponds to a first portion of the health information that is designated as shareable by a computing device of the person, wherein a second portion of the health information is designated as non-sharable by the computing device; 
 initiate, at the display device, a display of information based on the received portion of the health data; 
 generate additional health data based on the user input, the user input received after display of the information; and 
 initiate transmission of the additional health data to the server. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the access code entry device comprises an access code reader configured to read the access code from a physical medium. 
     
     
         3 . The portable computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the access code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         4 . The portable computing device of  claim 3 , wherein the access code reader is configured to scan the bar code from the physical medium. 
     
     
         5 . The portable computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the access code entry device comprises the entry device. 
     
     
         6 . The portable computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the entry device comprises a keypad. 
     
     
         7 . The portable computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the network includes an Internet protocol (IP) network. 
     
     
         8 . The portable computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the network includes the Internet. 
     
     
         9 . The portable computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a global database of health data corresponding to multiple people including the person. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for performing wireless communications;   means for receiving entry of an access code and for generating input data indicative of the access code;   means for receiving user input;   means for processing coupled to the means for performing wireless communications, to the means for receiving entry of the access code, and to the means for receiving user input, the means for processing configured to:
 initiate wireless communication of data to a server, the data representing the access code; 
 conditioned on the access code matching a particular access code that is set by a device controlled by a person and that enables access to health information of the person, receive, via wireless communication, at least a portion of health data that corresponds to a first portion of the health information that is designated as shareable by a computing device of the person, wherein a second portion of the health information is designated as non-sharable by the computing device; 
 generate additional health data based on the user input; and 
 initiate wireless communication of the additional health data to the server; and 
   means for displaying information based on the received portion of the health data.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the means for receiving the access code comprises means for scanning the access code from a physical medium. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the access code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the means for receiving the access code comprises the means for receiving user input. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the additional health data updates at least a sub-portion of the first portion of the health data. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the health data further corresponds to insurance information of the person. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving input at a computing device associated with a first person via an access code entry device of the computing device, the input indicating an access code;   transmitting data from the computing device to a server via a network, the data representing the access code;   conditioned on the access code matching a particular access code that is set by a device controlled by a second person and that enables access to health information of the second person, receiving at least a portion of health data that corresponds to a first portion of the health information that is designated as shareable by a device of the second person, wherein a second portion of the health information is designated as non-sharable by the device of the second person;   initiating, at a display device of the computing device, a display of information, the information based on the received portion of the health data;   receiving second input at the computing device via an entry device of the computing device;   generating, at the computing device, additional health data based on the second input; and   initiating transmission of the additional health data to the server via the network.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the computing device comprises a cell phone or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the computing device comprises a computer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the network comprises a wired network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the server is at a remote location with respect to the computing device.