System and Method for Monitoring a Person for Signs of Sickness

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring a person to detect the onset of an illness. A monitoring unit collects biometric data and exchanges that data with a remote electronic device. Using the monitoring device, a person is monitored across multiple days. The biometric data collected determines a statistical profile for the collected data. After the statistical profile is calculated, the person can be actively monitored as he/she sleeps. The monitoring occurs during a sample period of sleep. The biometric data collected during the sample period is averaged to obtain a statistical value. The statistical value is compared to the statistical profile of the biometric data. If the sampled biometric data falls outside the statistical profile, a warning is produced on the electronic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of monitoring a person to detect the onset of an illness, said method comprising:
 providing a monitoring unit that monitors biometric data, wherein said biometric data is selected from a group consisting of respiration rate and heartrate;   determining a statistical profile for said biometric data by monitoring said person with said monitoring unit for a period of time;   actively monitoring said person with said monitoring unit during a sample period to obtain sampled biometric data, wherein said sample period occurs while said person is sleeping;   comparing said sampled biometric data to said statistical profile, to determine if said sampled biometric data falls outside said statistical profile; and   producing a warning should said sampled biometric data fall outside said statistical profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including an electronic device remote from said monitoring unit that is digitally linked to said monitoring unit, wherein said warning is sent to said electronic device by said monitoring unit. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining said statistical profile for said biometric data occurs by monitoring said person with said monitoring unit for a period of time while said person is sleeping. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further including using said monitoring unit to determine if said person is sleeping. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said period of time extends across multiple days. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said monitoring unit contains a camera that images said person to produce a video feed. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said video feed is displayed on said electronic device remote from said monitoring unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said biometric data is graphed and displayed on said electronic device. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit detects said biometric data, at least in part, by analyzing radar signals emitted by said monitoring unit and reflected back to said monitoring unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sampled biometric data is averaged to obtain a statistical value and said statistical value is compared to said statistical profile. 
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring a person to detect the onset of an illness, said method comprising:
 providing a monitoring unit that monitors biometric data, wherein said biometric data is selected from a group consisting of respiration rate and heartrate;   providing an electronic device that is remote from said monitoring unit and exchanges data with said monitoring unit;   determining a statistical profile for said biometric data by monitoring said person with said monitoring unit over a prolonged period of time;   actively monitoring said person with said monitoring unit during a sample period to obtain sampled biometric data, wherein said sample period occurs while said person is sleeping;   averaging said sampled biometric data to obtain a statistical value;   comparing said statistical value to said statistical profile to determine if said sampled biometric data falls outside said statistical profile; and   producing a warning on said electronic device should said statistical value fall outside said statistical profile.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said person is sleeping during said prolonged period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said prolonged period of time extends across multiple days. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said monitoring unit contains a camera that images said person to produce a video feed. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said video feed is displayed on said electronic device remote from said monitoring unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said biometric data is graphed and displayed on said electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said monitoring unit detects said biometric data, at least in part, by analyzing signals emitted by said monitoring unit and reflected back to said monitoring unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , further including using said monitoring unit to determine if said person is sleeping.