1. A method of remotely monitoring an individual, comprising:
integrating a sensor in a monitoring object at a first location, the monitoring object configured as a household item;
associating the sensor with an environment of an individual at the first location;
associating the sensor with a network;
establishing a map of standard activities of the individual, wherein the monitoring object records a sample of a plurality of activities of the individual to establish the map of standard activities;
processing sensor data using the map of standard activities to obtain monitoring information for the activity of the individual in the environment; and
transmitting the monitoring information over the network from the first location to a receiving object at a second location, the receiving object configured as a household item, wherein the receiving object displays an indication of activity of the individual based on the monitoring activity.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a motion-sensor, an infrared motion sensor, a temperature sensor, a thermostat, an audio sensor, and a vibration sensor.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving object is a picture frame.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the picture frame holds a picture of the individual being monitored.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring object is a picture frame.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a telecommunications network.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises one-way paging.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring information comprises information regarding the cessation of activity.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises determining if sensor inputs were obtained within a predetermined time interval.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises comparing sensor inputs against the map of standard activities relating timing of events with either a clock or a calendar expectation.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, programming the monitoring object with the map of standard activities to facilitate processing.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, calibrating the monitoring object with a sample of ambient signals in the monitored individual’s environment to establish the map of standard activities to facilitate processing.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting an amount of time within which the sensor must sense an activity.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving object is adapted to display at least one of a discrete green light, a discrete yellow light, and a discrete red light based on the monitoring information.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving object is adapted to emit an audio signal based on the monitoring information.
18. A system of remotely monitoring an individual, comprising:
a sensor integrated in a monitoring object at a first location for collecting activity data for an individual in an environment, the monitoring object configured as a household item;
a map of standard activities of the individual, wherein the monitoring object records a sample of a plurality of activities of the individual to establish the map of standard activity;
a processor in the monitoring object for processing sensor data using the map of standard activities to obtain monitoring information for the individual in the environment;
a transmitter associated with the sensor for transmitting the monitoring information over a network; and
a receiving object at a second location for receiving the transmitted monitoring information, the receiving object configured as a household item, wherein the receiving object displays an indication of activity of the individual based on the monitoring activity.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving object is a picture frame.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the monitoring object is a picture frame.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A patient bed for a medical imaging apparatus, comprising:
a patient support plate configured to receive a supine patient thereon; and
at least one radar antenna mounted at said patient support plate and configured to obtain at least one of physiological data and geometric data from the patient on the patient support plate.
2. A patient bed as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one radar antenna is a patch antenna.
3. A patient bed as claimed in claim 2 wherein said patch antenna has a layer thickness in a range between 2 \u03bcm and 20 \u03bcm.
4. A patient bed as claimed in claim 1 comprising a radar antenna array mounted at said patient support plate.
5. A patient bed as claimed in claim 1 comprising at least two radar antennas mounted at said patient support plate that are located adjacent to each other.
6. A patient bed as claimed in claim 1 wherein said patient support plate comprises a flat patient support plate component, selected from the group consisting of a film and a substrate layer, at which said at least one radar antenna is mounted.
7. A patient bed as claimed in claim 6 wherein said patient support plate component is comprised of circuit board material.
8. A patient bed as claimed in claim 6 wherein said patient support plate component comprises at least one electrically conductive coating, in addition to said at least one radar antenna.
9. A patient bed as claimed in claim 8 wherein said electrically conductive coating is a continuous coating on a side of said patient support plate component facing away from the patient.
10. A patient bed as claimed in claim 8 wherein said electrically conductive coating is a metallic coating.
11. A patient bed as claimed in claim 8 wherein said electrically conductive coating has a thickness in a range between 2 \u03bcm and 20 \u03bcm.
12. A patient bed as claimed in claim 6 wherein said patient support plate component has a thickness in a range between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.
13. A patient bed as claimed in claim 6 wherein said patient support plate component is integrated into said patient support plate.
14. A patient bed as claimed in claim 6 wherein said patient support plate component is applied at a side of said patient support plate facing toward the patient.
15. A patient bed as claimed in claim 1 comprising a base on which said patient support plate is mounted, and comprising a control and evaluation unit electrically connected to said at least one radar antenna and configured to operate said at least one radar antenna, said control and evaluation unit being located in said base.
16. A method for operating a patient bed of a medical imaging apparatus, comprising the steps of:
placing a patient in a superimposition on a patient support plate in a medical imaging apparatus;
embodying at least one radar antenna in said patient support plate; and
operating said at least one radar antenna in said patient support plate to interact with the patient on the patient support plate to acquire at least one of physiological data and geometric data from the patient.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising operating said at least one radar antenna in a pulsed radar mode.
18. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising generating a 3D image of the patient on the patient support plate from data obtained from the patient with said at least one radar antenna.
19. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising acquiring geometric data from the patient on the patient support plate with said at least one radar antenna, and electronically evaluating said geometric data to determine at least one of a position of the patient on the patient support plate and an alignment of the patient on the patient support plate relative to the medical imaging apparatus.
20. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising acquiring physiological data from the patient on the patient support plate, and evaluating said physiological data to determine at least one of a respiration cycle and a cardiac cycle of the patient on the patient support plate.
21. A medical imaging apparatus comprising:
a data acquisition unit configured to acquire medical image data from a patient therein;
a patient support plate configured to support a patient in the data acquisition unit in a superimposition on the patient support plate; and
at least one radar antenna mounted at said patient support plate and a control and evaluation unit configured to operate said at least one radar antenna to acquire at least one of geometric data and physiological data from the patient on the patient support plate.
22. A medical imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said data acquisition unit is selected from the group consisting of an x-ray computed tomography apparatus, a C-arm x-ray apparatus, and an ultrasound apparatus.