WO2007128539A2

WO2007128539A2 - Urination data memorization and processing system

Info

Publication number: WO2007128539A2
Application number: PCT/EP2007/003993
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vanni Ogliani
Original assignee: Vanni Ogliani
Priority date: 2006-05-09
Filing date: 2007-05-07
Publication date: 2007-11-15
Also published as: ITMI20060902A1; WO2007128539A3

Abstract

A system (10) for the memorization and processing of urination data including a portable battery-powered electronic recording device (11) of events of interest equipped with a display (12), a user interface (13), a microprocessor unit (14), a memory (15), an internal clock (16) and means (17) of transferring information from the memory (15) to an interface (18) of communication with a base station (19). The user interface (13) includes 'event' keys (24-26) each associated with a type of event of a series of event types to be recorded. At the pressure of one of the 'event' keys the device (11) enters into an operative mode of recording of the specific event which includes with the microprocessor the showing on the display (12) of selectable menus of required data associated with the specific event. The data input by the user by means of the interface in response to the required menus are memorized by the microprocessor in the memory and associated with the corresponding event and with time information derived at least partly from the internal clock to be later downloadable on the base station for its processing, filing, display, printing etc.

Description

"URINATION DATA MEMORIZATION AND PROCESSING SYSTEM"

This invention relates to a system for the memorization and processing of urination data. In particular, this invention relates to a system including a portable recording device for allowing the facilitated input of urination data by a patient. Advantageously, the system also includes a base station on which the data are downloaded for filing, presentation and processing at the end of the acquisition. The general purpose of the present invention is to make available an efficient, practical, relatively inexpensive, safe and reliable system allowing an even little expert patient to supply a precise historical diary of events linked to urination and occurring during a predetermined time period.

In view of this purpose it was sought to provide in accordance with the present invention a system for the memorization and processing of urination data including a portable battery-powered electronic recording device of events of interest equipped with a display, a user interface, a microprocessor unit, a memory, an internal clock and means of transferring information from the memory to an interface of communication with a base station to which the device can be connected, with the user interface including 'event' keys each associated with a type of event of a series of event types to be registered with the event keys including at least three keys associated with the three events ^λdrink' , ^Λurinate' and 'urine loss' and at the pressure of one of the 'event' keys the device entering into an operative mode of recording of the specific event which includes with the microprocessor the showing on the display of selectable menus of required data associated with the specific event with the data input by the user by means of the interface in response to the requirement menus activated by the pressure of a specific 'event' key being memorized by microprocessor in the memory associated both with the corresponding event and to the time information derived at least partly from the internal clock. To clarify the explanation of the innovative principles of the present invention and its advantages compared with the prior art there is described below with the aid of the annexed drawings a possible embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example applying said principles. In the drawings :

FIG 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a urination diary system realized in accordance with this invention,

FIG 2 shows a view of a portable device of the system of FIG 1, FIGS 3 to 9 show flow charts of the operation of the device of FIG 2,

FIG 10 shows a screening of a base station of the system of FIG 1, and FIG 11 shows diagrammatically a summarizing table of a urination diary obtainable with the system of FIG 1.

With reference to the figures, FIG 1 shows diagrammatically a system for the memorization and processing of urination data, designated as a whole by reference number 10 and including a battery (not shown) -powered portable event recording device 11, equipped with a display 12, a user interface 13, a microprocessor unit 14, a memory 15, an internal clock 16 and means 17 of transferring information from the memory to a communication interface 18. The system also includes a base station 19 equipped with means of downloading, processing, display and filing of data which are sent from the device 11 to the station over the installation of a connection 20 with the interface 18. As clarified below, advantageously, the base station 19 can be realized by means of a personal computer appropriately programmed and equipped with an appropriate interface to establish the connection with the interface 18 of the device . Again advantageously, the interface can be made up of known standard communication interfaces either with or without cable. For example a preferred connection is by USB interface .

As an alternative, exchange of data can also take place by physical transportation of a memory unit from the portable recorder to the base station. This memory unit can be made up for example of a known standard memory card. In this case, the interfaces on the recorder and the base station will consist of a reception, reading and writing unit of such a memory unit. All this is readily imaginable by a technician and not further shown or described.

The user interface 13 includes a reduced series of 'event' keys each associated with a predetermined type of event which it is desired to record so as to allow the user to signal easily to the microprocessor that one of the events to be recorded in the diary has occurred. The events are at least three, i.e. drinking, urinating and loss of urine.

Advantageously, these are each represented by a key

(respectively 21, 22, 23) with a suitable icon representing the event. In particular, key 21 of the Mrink' event has the image of a glass associated, key 22 of the 'urinate' event has the image of a toilet, key 23 of the ^λloss of urine' event has the associated image of a drop.

At the pressing of an event key the microprocessor detects this pressure and enters into an operative mode of recording of the specific event in which it shows on the display menus of requests for information associated with the event. Each event recording operation is closed with a request for confirmation of the data and/or change in the time with which the event is associated. The time proposed is taken from the clock 16 so that the time information associated with the event is taken from that clock with a possible correction by the user as clarified below. The user interface allows the user to send to the microprocessor an end-of event data input operation signal started by pressure on the corresponding event key. Upon reception of that signal from the user interface the microprocessor commands final memorization in the memory 15 of the information input during the operation and associates it with the specific event and the time information detected from the internal clock with possible user correction.

In addition to the base keys 21, 22, 23 associated with the three above-mentioned events, the user interface advantageously includes other event keys to indicate other events considered important. In particular the indication of at least the "get out of bed / go to bed" event is provided by means of event key 24. Advantageously, two other events ("take medicine" and "urgency") are associated respectively with keys 25, 26. Again advantageously, for input of the above-mentioned end of operation signal and input of the various bits of information associated with the selected event, only two other service keys - indicated by 27, 28 in FIG 2 - are provided. The two keys 27, 28 bear usefully a left arrow and a right arrow respectively. The use of these is clarified below. Thanks to the operation described below, in the preferred recording device version shown in the figures it is possible to input by means of a user interface of only eight keys all the data identified as interesting. It is therefore clear that the use of the recorder is easy even by a not expert person. The operations generated by pressing the various event keys are now described.

FIG 3 shows the flow chart involved in pressing key 21 associated with the ^λdrink' event. Upon pressing this key the microprocessor shows on the display a previously memorized list of possible beverages among which to choose. Selecting one of the possible choices, the quantity of beverage is requested on the display and can be increased or decreased by means of the arrow keys. The quantity being confirmed, the current time given by the internal clock is displayed. The time shown can be changed if the event occurs at a time different from the actual time (typically previously) . Lastly, confirmation of memorization is requested. The confirmation being input be the user, the microprocessor memorizes the event in the memory 15 by associating it with the further information input, including the time information, taken from the internal clock and possibly changed by the user. FIG 4 shows the flow chart involved in pressing the key 22 associated with the 'urinate' event. Upon pressure of said key the microprocessor shows on the display the request to input the quantity, which can be changed by using the right and left arrow keys. The quantity being confirmed, it is requested on the display to choose from a pre-memorized list the degree of urgency. Advantageously, the list offers three possibilities, to wit, ^ΛNot Urgent', 'Within 10 Minutes', 'Very Urgent' . Once the choice is confirmed, the time of the event is displayed and modifiable as described above, after which confirmation of memorization of the event with its associated information is requested.

FIG 5 shows the flow chart involved in pressing of key 23 associated with the 'loss' event. Upon pressure of this key the microprocessor shows on the display the request to make a choice from a pre-memorized list (advantageously, with three possibilities) of the type of loss. Then it is requested to make the choice from a list of importance of the loss (again from three possibilities) and then, by means of another list of pre-memorized motives, to define what he or she was doing when the loss occurred. Lastly, the choice of the time is requested as always, starting from the time in the internal clock. The final confirmation of closing of the operations associated with the event leads to memorization of the event in the memory together with all the associated information.

FIG 6 shows the flow chart involved in pressing of the key 24 associated with the event 'rise from bed/go to bed' . Upon pressing said key the microprocessor shows on the display the request to make a choice between arise and go to bed. The correct choice being made, the choice of the time is requested as usual, starting from the time period in the internal clock. As usual, the final confirmation of closing of the operations associated with the event leads to memorization of the event in the memory together with all its associated information.

FIGS 7 and 8 show respectively the flow charts involved in pressure of the keys 25 and 26 associated with the 'taking a medicine' and 'urgency' events. In both cases only the choice of the time period of the event is requested starting from the time of the internal clock. As always, final confirmation of closing of the operation associated with the event leads to memorization of the event in the memory together with its associated information. FIG 9 shows an added function associated with the 'left arrow' key. In accordance with this added function, when the device is in waiting mode, that is to say outside of any 'event operation' , pressing this key for a relatively long time (for example 3 seconds) allows entering into a so-called 'service' mode in which one enters into a service menu allowing performing auxiliary operations such as starting of the connection functions with the base station, changing the writing language on the display, adjustment of the internal clock et cetera. Advantageously, when the device is in waiting mode, i.e. outside of any 'event operation' , even pressure of the 'right arrow' key can give an added function. For example it might be useful to see on the display a screen with the patient's data (first name, last name etc) and the state of the device (current time and date of the clock in addition to the day of registration compared to those set - for example day 1 of 3, memory occupation such as number of events recorded and recordable, progressive of the use of the diary etc) . FIG 10 shows an example of a screen that can by shown on the base station with two buttons, i.e. 'start' to send data (patient' s name, present time etc) to the portable device and at the same time canceling every event memorized, and 'download' to download the data of the events from the portable device to the base station memory. Advantageously, the base station shows the data of the downloaded events in tabular form in which an event corresponds to each line of the table. FIG 11 shows an advantageous structure of the table in which the first column of the table shows the time associated with the event while the remaining columns identify the event with its associated data (for example type and quantity of beverage taken, quantity emptied, loss etc) . Naturally, as easily imaginable to the expert technician, the base station advantageously allows additional functions such as saving of the data in files, printing, data collection, statistical calculation, keeping of a database of the patient etc. The use of the device is now clear. The specialist provides for recording the patient' s data in the recorder by means of connection to the base station. Recording of the patient's data inside the portable device is useful for avoiding possible confusion of data between different patients. The device is then delivered to the patient with a brief instruction for use.

The patient can thus begin to keep a urination diary by pressing the appropriate keys upon the occurrence of the predetermined events. The number of events recordable depends on the, size of the internal memory of the device. For example one might think of sizing the memory to be able to record 4096 events.

At the end of the period foreseen for recording the events

(for example one or two days) the patient returns the device. By reconnecting the recorder to the base station the specialist can unload on the base station the data of the memorized events. The base station can thus show the table of the events, print it, calculate collected data and statistics like, for example, the daily urination frequency, nightly urination frequency, the average quantity emptied in 24 hours, the average volume empted, the number of incontinence episodes, the number of urgencies, the number of sanitary napkins changed in 24 times etc. Thanks to the system in accordance with this invention one avoids having the patient to write on paper the urination information during the investigation period, guaranteeing a more precise, reliable system which avoids errors and inaccuracies by the inexpert user. At the same time the tiresome job of transcribing, checking, selection and calculation of data is avoided for the specialist so that additional sources of errors are avoided.

Naturally the above description of an embodiment applying the innovative principles of the present invention is given by way of non-limiting example of said principles within the scope of the exclusive right claimed here.

Claims

1. System for the memorization and processing of urination data including a portable battery-powered electronic recording device of events of interest equipped with a display, a user interface, a microprocessor unit, a memory, an internal clock and means of transferring information from the memory to an interface of communication with a base station to which the device can be connected, with the user interface including 'event' keys each associated with a type of event of a series of event types to be recorded with the event keys including at least three keys associated with the three events 'drink' , 'urinate' and 'urine loss' and at the pressure of one of the 'event' keys the device entering into an operative mode of recording of the specific event which includes with the microprocessor the showing on the display of selectable menus of required data associated with the specific event with the data input by the user by means of the interface in response to the requirement menus activated by the pressure of a specific 'event' key being memorized by microprocessor in the memory associated both with the corresponding event and with the time information derived at least partly from the internal clock.

2. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the user interface includes at least another event key associated with the event 'get out of bed /go to sleep' and the selectable menus of requests of data associated with said specific event include the choice between 'get out of bed' and 'go to sleep' to be selected/input by means of the user interface.

3. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the time information is derived from the time marked by the internal clock corrected up or down by the microprocessor in response to a corresponding correction input done by the user through the user interface during execution of the operative mode of recording of the specific event.

4. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the selectable request menus of data associated with the specific 'drink' event include a prememorized list of beverages and a beverage quantity request to be selected/input by means of the user interface.

5. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the selectable request menus of data associated with the specific 'urinate' event include a prememorized list of degrees of urgency and a quantity request.

6. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the selectable request menus of data associated with the specific 'loss of urine' event include prememorized lists of type/amount of the loss and of motive of the loss to be selected/input by means of the user interface.

7. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the user interface includes other 'event' keys associated with the 'medicine taking' and/or 'bladder urgency' .

8. System in accordance with claim 7 characterized in that the selectable menus of requests for data associated with the 'medicine taking' and/or 'bladder urgency' events include only time information concerning the time of the event.

9. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the user interface includes two service keys for selection of the menu items and confirmation of the data input during execution of the operative mode of recording of the events.

10. System in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that when the device is out of the event recording operative mode, said two service keys are switched to controlling the microprocessor functions different from those controlled during execution of the event recording operative mode.

11. System in accordance with claim 10 characterized in that said different functions include for a key the function of showing user data previously memorized in the device by means of the base station.

12. System in accordance with claim 10 characterized in that said different functions include for a key the function of showing device operative parameter setting menus.

13. System in accordance with claim 12 characterized in that the operative parameters include the language of display on the screen and the time of the internal clock.

14. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the interface for communication with the base station is the USB type.

15. System in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the base station includes means of display and/or printing in table form of the data associated with the events and downloaded from the recording device over the interface.