Methods of data acquisition quality and data fusion for personal portable wireless vital signs scanner

1. A method comprising:

concurrently scanning for a plurality of vital signs with a plurality of sensors of a portable vital signs scanner to generate vital signs scan data;

detecting movement with an accelerometer of the portable vital signs scanner during the scanning for the plurality of vital signs;

generating first scan data from the vital signs scan data, the first scan data comprising a first category of health status information;

based upon the first scan data, selecting a first scan state from a set of stored scan states;

tracking a number of time windows for the first scan state, the time windows being for measuring a quality of the vital signs scan data;

comparing the first scan data to a stored predetermined range for the first category of health information to generate a scan comparison; and

in response to the scan comparison and the detected movement, determining a measure of quality of the vital signs scan data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating user feedback to present to a user in response to the determined measure of quality of the concurrent scan for the plurality of vital signs.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating user feedback to present to a user in response to determining an invalid or unreliable measure of quality of the concurrent scan for the plurality of vital signs.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating user feedback to present to a user in response to determining a reliable measure of quality of the concurrent scan for the plurality of vital signs and minor movement of the portable vital signs scanner.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating user feedback to present to a user in response to determining significant movement of the portable vital signs scanner, regardless of the measure of quality of the concurrent scan for the plurality of vital signs.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating user feedback to present to a user in response to repeatedly determining a reliable measure of quality of the concurrent scan for the plurality of vital signs without movement of the portable vital signs scanner.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is reliable if the scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign and the scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be reliable scan data.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is reliable if the scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign is evaluated to be reliable scan data, the scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be reliable scan data, and if scan data for a temperature vital sign is within an expected range.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the user feedback that is generated is a scan progress bar that is filled in as a fraction of progress is made in generating measurements for the plurality of vital signs.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein

the fraction is each tenth of progress made in generating measurements for the plurality of vital signs.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein

during a second period of time, the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs becomes unreliable; and

the scan progress bar is paused or reset in response to the unreliable measure of scan quality.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is unreliable if either the scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign or the scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be unreliable scan data.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is unreliable if scan data for a temperature vital sign is within an expected range and either the scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign is evaluated to be unreliable scan data or the scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be unreliable scan data.

14. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that significant motion of the portable vital signs scanner was detected during a period of time; and

wherein the user feedback is generated to inquire of a user if he is playing with the portable vital signs scanner.

15. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during a period of time is invalid; and

wherein the user feedback is generated to instruct a user to make contact with the portable vital signs scanner to the user's body.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the measure of quality of the of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is invalid if either scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign or scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be invalid scan data.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during the period of time is invalid if either scan data for a pulse oximeter vital sign is evaluated to be invalid scan data, scan data for an electrocardiogram (ECG) vital sign is evaluated to be invalid scan data, or scan data for a temperature vital sign is outside an expected range.

18. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during a period of time is unreliable with minor motion; and

wherein the user feedback is generated to inquire if a user is pressing the scanner too lightly and instruct the user to press the portable vital signs scanner tighter against the user's body.

19. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during a period of time is unreliable without motion; and

wherein the user feedback is generated to inquire if a user is pressing the scanner too tightly and instruct the user to press the scanner with less force against the user's body.

20. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs during a period of time is reliable with motion; and

wherein the user feedback is generated to instruct a user to hold still for a reliable scan.

21. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs transitions between levels of quality from reliable to unreliable or unreliable to invalid; and

the user feedback is generated to instruct a user that the portable vital signs scanner is losing reliable contact.

22. The method of claim 2 , wherein

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs transitions between levels of quality from invalid to unreliable or unreliable to reliable; and

the user feedback is generated to instruct a user that the portable vital signs scanner is making better contact.

23. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs transitions between from reliable with motion to reliable without motion; and

the user feedback is generated to instruct a user that he/she has done a great job reaching the reliable scan state.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs transitions between from a still super state to a minor motion super state; and

the user feedback is generated to instruct a user to please hold still.

25. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the measure of quality of the scan for the plurality of vital signs transitions between from a still super state to a big motion state or from a minor motion super state to the big motion state; and

the user feedback is generated to inquire of a user if he/she is shaking the portable vital signs scanner.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the concurrent scanning for the plurality of vital signs with the portable vital signs scanner generates a plurality of data samples of each vital sign; and

the determining of the measure of quality of the scanning for the plurality of vital signs includes

detecting an envelope curve of amplitude from the plurality of data samples for each vital sign.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein

the detecting of the movement of the portable vital signs scanner includes

detecting acceleration of the portable vital signs scanner to obtain a plurality of data samples associated with movement of the portable vital signs scanner, and

detecting an envelope curve of amplitude from the plurality of data samples associated with the movement of the portable vital signs scanner.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein

the detecting of the movement of the portable vital signs scanner further includes

determining a level of movement of the portable vital signs scanner.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein

the level of movement of the portable vital signs scanner is big motion if the detected acceleration is greater than or equal to one-tenth of gravitational force.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein

the level of movement of the portable vital signs scanner is minor motion if the detected acceleration is greater than or equal to two hundredths of gravitational force and less than one-tenth of gravitational force.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein

the level of movement of the portable vital signs scanner is no motion or absence of motion if the detected acceleration is less than two hundredths of gravitational force.

32. The method of claim 26 , wherein

the determining of the measure of quality of the scanning for at least one vital sign includes

comparing an amplitude of a data sample of the at least one vital sign with a first threshold level to determine an invalid scan data quality.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein

the determining of the measure of quality of the scanning for at least one vital sign further includes

comparing the amplitude of the data sample of the at least one vital sign with a second threshold level to discriminate between an unreliable scan data quality and a reliable scan data quality for the at least one vital sign.

34. The method of claim 26 , wherein

the at least one vital sign is body temperature, and

the normal average body temperature taken at a forehead of an adult is ninety-seven and seven-tenths degrees Fahrenheit (97.7 F) with an expected range of plus and minus twelve degrees Fahrenheit (12 F) such that the expected temperature range is between one-hundred nine and seven-tenths degrees Fahrenheit (109.7 F) and eighty-five and seven-tenths degrees Fahrenheit (85.7 F).