Monitoring treatment compliance using speech patterns passively captured from a patient environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9589107-B2
Application number	US-201414543030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2014
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for monitoring patient speech to determine compliance of the patient with a prescribed regimen for treating for a brain-related disorder. Patient speech is detected with an audio sensor at the patient location, and speech data is transmitted to a monitoring location. Patient speech is processed at the patient location and/or monitoring location to identify speech parameters and/or patterns that indicate whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. Patient identity may be determined through biometric identification or other authentication techniques. The system may provide a report to an interested party, for example a medical care provider, based on whether (and/or the extent to which) the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. The monitoring system may transmit a report to a wireless device such as a pager or cell phone, generate an alarm or notification, and/or store information for later use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one receiving device for use at a monitoring location for receiving a speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient with at least one audio sensor at the patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;
speech identification circuitry configured to identify the patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;
compliance determination circuitry configured to determine compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and
reporting circuitry configured to report a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry for controlling at least one of the at least one receiving device, the speech identification circuitry, the compliance determination circuitry, and the reporting circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the speech identification circuitry includes:
patient identification circuitry configured to determine a presence of the patient from at least one identity signal received at the monitoring location from the patient location;
wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data based at least in part on the determination of the presence of the patient by the patient identification circuitry.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the identity signal includes at least a portion of the speech data signal, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the speech data signal to determine the presence of the patient by identifying at least a portion of the speech data signal that resembles a known speech data signal of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the identity signal includes an image signal received from an imaging device at the patient location, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the image signal to determine the presence of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient detected from the image signal.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the image signal to determine the presence of the patient through at least one of facial recognition and gait analysis.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the identity signal includes a biometric signal from at least one biometric sensor at the patient location, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the biometric signal to determine the presence of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient detected from the biometric signal.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the identity signal includes at least one of an authentication factor, a cell phone identification code, and an RFID.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the speech identification circuitry and the compliance determination circuitry includes a speech processor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compliance determination circuitry includes:
a speech processor for analyzing the patient speech data to determine the at least one patient speech pattern; and
a comparator for comparing the at least one patient speech pattern with the at least one characteristic speech pattern.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compliance determination circuitry includes:
a comparator for comparing the patient speech data with a characteristic speech data set indicative of the characteristic speech pattern.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of an input device for receiving prescription information indicative of the treatment regimen prescribed to the patient and at least one data storage device for storing prescription information indicative of the treatment regimen prescribed to the patient.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one receiving device includes at least one of a wireless receiver, a computer network connection, a USB port, and a computer drive.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting circuitry includes at least one of a display device, circuitry for generating a notification, circuitry for transmitting a notification to a wireless device, circuitry for generating an audio alarm, and circuitry for storing a notification in a data storage device.

15. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient with a treatment regimen, comprising:
receiving a speech data signal with a receiving device at a monitoring location, the speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient by at least one audio sensor at the patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;
identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;
determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and
reporting with reporting circuitry a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of initiation of treatment of the patient according to the prescribed treatment regimen and beginning to receive the speech data signal with the receiving device responsive to receipt of the signal indicative of initiation of treatment of the patient.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining a presence of the patient at the patient location, with patient identification circuitry at the monitoring location, from at least one identity signal received at the monitoring location from the patient location;
wherein identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data signal includes identifying patient speech data based at least in part on the identity signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the identity signal includes at least one of a voice signal, an image signal, a biometric signal, an

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Bowers Jeffrey A
• Duesterhoft Paul
• Hawkins Daniel
• Hyde Roderick A
• Jung Edward K Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Leuthardt Eric C
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Smith Michael A
• Sweeney Elizabeth A
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A61B5/4803

  Speech analysis specially adapted for diagnostic purposes · CPC title

• G16H10/20

  for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires · CPC title

• A61B5/4833

  Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment · CPC title

• A61B5/16

  Devices for psychotechnics (using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00); Testing reaction times {; Devices for evaluating the psychological state} · CPC title

• G16H15/00 Primary

  ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof · CPC title