US5711297A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Computerized medical advice system and method including meta function
Assignee: Clinical Decision Support LLC
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Filing: 1996-01-30
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Granted: 1998-01-27
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Expires: 2016-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for providing computerized, knowledge-based medical diagnostic and treatment advice. The medical advice is provided to the general public over a telephone network. Two new authoring languages, interactive voice response and speech recognition are used to enable expert and general practitioner knowledge to be encoded for access by the public. "Meta" functions for time-density. analysis of a number of factors regarding the number of medical complaints per unit of time are an integral part of the system. A semantic discrepancy evaluator routine along with a mental status examination are used to detect the consciousness level of a user of the system. A re-enter feature monitors the user's changing condition over time. A symptom severity analysis helps to respond to the changing conditions. System sensitivity factors may be changed at a global level or other levels to adjust the system advice as necessary.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin C. Iliff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:59
CPC Classifications
G; G16; G16H; G16H10/00; G16H10/60; G16H15/00; G16H40/00; G16H40/60; G16H40/67
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of evaluating a problem of a patient over time and providing advice in an automated medical advice system, comprising the steps of: receiving, through an input device, data indicative of symptoms of a patient; creating a consultation history database, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received patient data, each record including the following fields: a date, a medical problem, an anatomical system, and a cause of the problem; storing the consultation history database in a computer; analyzing the consultation history database using a match pattern, wherein the step of analyzing comprises: accessing a set of records within the consultation history database by use of a time window, the time window comprising a range of preselected dates; comparing the match pattern to each of the accessed records; and calculating a consultation frequency value from matched records identified by the comparing step; generating a recommendation if the frequency value satisfies a match threshold; and communicating the recommendation through an output device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of evaluating a problem of a patient over time and providing advice in an automated medical advice system, comprising the steps of: receiving, through an input device, data indicative of symptoms of a patient; creating a consultation history database, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received patient data, each record including the following fields: a date, a medical problem, an anatomical system, and a cause of the problem; storing the consultation history database in a computer; analyzing the consultation history database using a match pattern, wherein the step of analyzing comprises: accessing a set of records within the consultation history database by use of a time window, the time window comprising a range of preselected dates; comparing the match pattern to each of the accessed records; and calculating a consultation frequency value from matched records identified by the comparing step; generating a recommendation if the frequency value satisfies a match threshold; and communicating the recommendation through an output device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising the step of identifying at least one of a plurality of database fields of interest by use of the match pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the frequency value comprises a count of matched records.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the match pattern includes at least a problem field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the match pattern includes at least an anatomic system field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the match threshold is predetermined so as to suggest a deteriorating medical condition when the match threshold is reached.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing identifies a most recent record, a next most recent record, and a second most recent record, and wherein the frequency value comprises a time density ratio specified by dividing a time difference of the second most recent record and the next most recent record by the time difference of the next most recent record and the most recent record.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of evaluating a problem of a patient over time and providing advice in an automated medical advice system, comprising the steps of: receiving, through an input device, data indicative of symptoms of a patient over a period of time; creating a consultation history database, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received data; storing the consultation history in a computer; applying a match pattern to the consultation history database; generating a recommendation if a consultation frequency value of matched records located by applying the match pattern satisfies a match threshold; and communicating the recommendation through an output device.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of evaluating a problem of a patient over time and providing advice in an automated medical advice system, comprising the steps of: receiving, through an input device, data indicative of symptoms of a patient over a period of time; creating a consultation history database, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received data; storing the consultation history in a computer; applying a match pattern to the consultation history database; generating a recommendation if a consultation frequency value of matched records located by applying the match pattern satisfies a match threshold; and communicating the recommendation through an output device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 8, wherein each record comprises a plurality of fields which include: a date, a medical problem, an anatomical system, and a cause of the problem.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method defined in claim 8, wherein the step of applying comprises: accessing a set of records within the consultation history database by use of a time window, the time window comprising a range of preselected dates; comparing the match pattern to each of the accessed records; and calculating the consultation frequency value from the matched records identified by the comparing step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 10, wherein the match threshold is representative of a preselected minimum number of records particular to the match pattern.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
118 words
An automated medical advice system, comprising: a computer; an input device connected to the computer for receiving information from a user over a period of time; a consultation history database stored by the computer, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received information; a search process that searches the consultation history database using a match pattern to identify records having the match pattern; an analysis process that analyzes the frequency of the user's diagnostic consultations, wherein the records identified by the search process permit assessment of an improvement or a deterioration of a patient's medical condition; and an output device connected to the computer for transmitting advice to the user based on the frequency analysis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
118 words
An automated medical advice system, comprising: a computer; an input device connected to the computer for receiving information from a user over a period of time; a consultation history database stored by the computer, the database comprising a sequence of records based on the received information; a search process that searches the consultation history database using a match pattern to identify records having the match pattern; an analysis process that analyzes the frequency of the user's diagnostic consultations, wherein the records identified by the search process permit assessment of an improvement or a deterioration of a patient's medical condition; and an output device connected to the computer for transmitting advice to the user based on the frequency analysis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein each record is indicative of a user's diagnostic consultation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein each record comprises a plurality of fields which include: a date, a medical problem, an anatomical system, and a cause of the problem.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 14, wherein the match pattern includes at least a problem field.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 14, wherein the match pattern includes at least an anatomic system field.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 14, wherein the match pattern includes at least a cause field.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 14, wherein in each of the records of the consultation history database, a cause of the problem field comprises one of the following: allergy, environment, infection, mental, poison, trauma, vascular, genetic, nutritional, metabolic, endocrine, or tumor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 14, wherein in each of the records of the consultation history database, the anatomical system field is selected from the group consisting of skeletal (orthopedic), cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, gynecologic, hematologic, larynx, nervous, ophthalmologic, respiratory, skin, urological, and endocrine.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the match pattern comprises a character string.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 20, wherein the analysis process includes a match threshold representative of a preselected minimum number of records particular to the match pattern.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 21, wherein the analysis process includes a time window used to access the records identified by the search process, the time window comprising a selected period of time.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 22, wherein the system provides advice to the user if the analysis process determines that the match threshold is achieved within the time window.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 22, wherein the system sets a meta re-enter indicator and requests the user to consult with the system upon reoccurrence of a medical condition if the analysis process determines that the match threshold is not achieved within the time window.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
75 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the search process identifies a most recent record, a next most recent record, and a second most recent record, and wherein the analysis process includes a calculation of a time density ratio specified by dividing a time difference of the second most recent record and the next most recent record by the time difference of the next most recent record and the most recent record.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, additionally including a plurality of medical algorithms selectively executed by the computer, the medical algorithms including commands written in an authoring language program, said commands including at least one match pattern.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 26, wherein each consultation history database record is written in response to a write command in a selected one of the medical algorithms.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the input device includes a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal processing subsystem.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the input device includes an automatic speech recognition subsystem.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the output means includes a speech playback system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The automated medical advice system defined in claim 12, wherein the user and the patient are the same person.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-01-26 | 2001-07-28 | 2002-01-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-01-26 | 2005-07-28 | 2006-01-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-26 | 2009-07-28 | 2010-01-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |