Wearable computing device for monitoring hazards

• US 10,169,978 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorbeck Materials
• Original Assignee: Vorbeck Materials
• Inventors: Brooks, Louise, Manivannan, Sriram, Boehmcke, Paige J, Guenette, Matthew, Brent, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rushing, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/479,030
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/20 for working activities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/20 Workers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3089 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in sensing the monitored data, e.g. interfaces, connectors, sensors, probes, agents software debugging using additional hardware using a specific debug interface G06F11/3656; performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to wearable computing devices. In some embodiments, a wearable computing devices (“WCD”) for monitoring occupational hazards are disclosed. The WCD may include an apparel item having one or more control circuits affixed thereto. One or more sensors may be communicatively coupled to the computing device and configured to detect or monitor at least one of an aspect of a user of the WCD and an ambient environment of the user. The control circuits can be configured to generate one or more notifications when sensor data comprises a value above a threshold amount.

Claims

1. A wearable computing device for monitoring occupational hazards comprising:

an apparel item;

a control circuit affixed to the apparel item;

a sensor communicatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to detect or monitor at least one of an aspect of a user of the wearable computing device and an ambient environment of the user;

a communications device communicatively coupled to the control circuit;

an antenna communicatively coupled to the communication device and comprising a component, the component comprising a first conductive composition, the first conductive composition comprising individual sheets of graphene forming a three-dimensional percolated network within the conductive composition;

wherein

the control circuit is configured to generate a notification when sensor data comprises a value above a threshold amount; and

the sensor comprising a second conductive composition, the second conductive composition comprising individual sheets of graphene, the individual sheets of graphene forming a three-dimensional percolated network within the second conductive composition.

2. The wearable computing device of claim 1, further comprising an input/output device communicatively coupled to the control circuit, and wherein in generating the notification the control circuit is further configured to emit a signal via the I/O device when the notification is generated.

3. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a chemical.

4. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

5. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to capture a temperature value associated with the user and/or an ambient environment of the wearable computing device.

6. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to capture a heartrate value of the user.

7. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to generate geolocational data.

8. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the apparel item is a vest.

9. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the apparel item is a form fitting apparel item.

10. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the apparel item is an undergarment configured to be worn on a torso or a lower extremity.

11. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the apparel item is an outerwear apparel item.

12. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the second conductive composition is applied on to a surface of the apparel item.

13. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive composition is applied on to a surface of the apparel item.