Portable biometric monitoring device and method for use thereof

Abstract

A portable biometric monitor includes a wearable member having a plurality of sensors incorporated therein. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors is adapted to monitor a corresponding biometric indicator. A communications hub is in selective wireless communication with the plurality of sensors. One of the wearable member and the communications hub includes a set of biometric parameters, wherein each biometric parameter of the set of biometric parameters includes a corresponding preferred range. When at least one of the sensors indicates that the corresponding biometric indicator is outside of the corresponding preferred range, the communications hub provides a status indicia corresponding to a proposed recommendation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for contacting a physician using a wearable member, the method comprising steps of:
 placing a portable biometric monitor onto a portion of an individual's body, wherein a plurality of sensors within the portable biometric monitor are positioned to monitor personal biometric indicators of the individual's body;   monitoring the personal biometric indicators using the plurality of sensors;   comparing each personal biometric indicator with a corresponding customized biometric parameter of a plurality of personal biometric parameters, wherein each corresponding customized biometric parameter includes a corresponding customized preferred range, wherein the corresponding customized preferred range is related to the personal biometric indicators of the individual's body;   providing a status indicia when at least one of the personal biometric indicators falls outside the corresponding customized preferred range of the personal biometric indicators;   sending, via the portable biometric monitor, a communication regarding the status indicia to a medical care professional when the personal biometric indicators reach a predetermined threshold in relation to the corresponding customized preferred range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable biometric monitor includes a wearable portion and a communications hub, wherein the communications hub receives data from the plurality of sensors and transmits the status indicia and the communication. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the corresponding customized biometric parameters and the corresponding customized preferred ranges are stored within the wearable portion of the portable biometric monitor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of:
 placing the plurality of sensors in wireless communication with the communications hub, wherein the communications hub includes a set of biometric parameters that includes each personal biometric parameter.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the status indicia is provided to the communications hub. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communications hub provides the status indicia to a portable computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communications hub is a portable computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal biometric indicators include at least two of heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, global positioning data and inspiration and expiration ratio. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of personal biometric parameters are obtained by customizing the portable biometric monitor during an evaluation phase that results in the plurality of personal biometric parameters of an individual. 
     
     
         10 . A method of communicating a biometric function of an individual to a health care provider, the method comprising steps of:
 placing a wearable portion of a portable biometric monitor onto a portion of an individual's body, wherein a plurality of sensors within the wearable portion are positioned to monitor corresponding personal biometric indicators;   placing the plurality of sensors in wireless communication with a communications hub of the portable biometric monitor, wherein the communications hub includes a set of biometric parameters, wherein each biometric parameter of the set of biometric parameters includes a preferred range;   monitoring the corresponding personal biometric indicators using the plurality of sensors;   customizing the set of biometric parameters having the preferred range to be a set of personal biometric parameters that includes corresponding personal preferred ranges of the corresponding personal biometric indicators;   comparing each corresponding personal biometric indicator with the corresponding personal preferred range of the corresponding personal biometric indicators;   providing a status indicia when at least one of the corresponding personal biometric indicators falls outside the corresponding personal preferred range of the corresponding personal biometric indicators; and   communicating, via the portable biometric monitor, the status indicia to the health care provider when at least one of the corresponding personal biometric indicators reaches a predetermined threshold in relation to the corresponding personal preferred range.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the portable biometric monitor includes the wearable portion and a communications hub, wherein the communications hub receives data from the plurality of sensors and transmits the status indicia. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the set of personal biometric parameters and the corresponding personal preferred ranges are stored within at least one of the wearable portion and the communications hub. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a step of:
 placing the plurality of sensors in wireless communication with the communications hub, wherein the communications hub includes a set of biometric parameters that includes each personal biometric parameter.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communications hub provides the status indicia to a portable computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communications hub is a portable computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the corresponding personal biometric indicators include at least two of heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, global positioning data and inspiration and expiration ratio. 
     
     
         17 . A method of communicating a biometric function of an individual to a health care provider, the method comprising steps of:
 placing a wearable portion of a portable biometric monitor onto a portion of an individual's body;   placing the wearable portion in wireless communication with a communications hub of the portable biometric monitor, wherein the communications hub includes a set of biometric parameters, wherein each biometric parameter of the set of biometric parameters includes a preferred range;   monitoring corresponding personal biometric indicators using the wearable member;   customizing the set of biometric parameters having the preferred range to be a set of personal biometric parameters that includes corresponding personal preferred ranges of the corresponding personal biometric indicators;   comparing each corresponding personal biometric indicator with the corresponding personal preferred range of the corresponding personal biometric indicators;   providing a recommending status indicia when at least one of the corresponding personal biometric indicators falls outside the corresponding personal preferred range of the of the corresponding personal biometric indicators; and   communicating, via the communications hub, a house call status indicia to the health care provider when at least one of the corresponding personal biometric indicators reaches a predetermined threshold in relation to the corresponding personal preferred range, wherein the predetermined threshold of the house call status indicia is farther outside of the corresponding personal preferred ranges than the recommending status indicia.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the communications hub is a portable computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the corresponding personal biometric indicators include at least two of heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, global positioning data and inspiration and expiration ratio. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wearable portion includes a plurality of sensors that are positioned to monitor corresponding personal biometric indicators, and wherein the plurality of sensors are in communication with the communications hub.