Mobility aid monitoring system with motion sensor and transceiver

• US 10,226,177 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WalkWise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Auto-Pilot Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chamberlain, Peter Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Rushing, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US15/853,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20180333052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 340501
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0026 characterised by the transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6894 Wheel chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, devices, and methods for monitoring mobility aids are provided. An example apparatus includes a wheel attachment assembly, a motion sensor, and a transceiver. The wheel attachment assembly is configured to removably attach to a wheel of a mobility aid. The motion sensor is configured to measure rotation of the wheel attachment assembly. The transceiver is in electronic communication with the motion sensor and configured to transmit data based on measurements from the motion sensor. An example system includes a monitoring device and a stationary communication node. The monitoring device is configured to removably attach to a mobility aid and includes a transceiver and a motion sensor configured to measure motion of the monitoring device. The stationary communication node is configured to communicate with the monitoring device. An example method generates alerts based on data from an attachable monitoring device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a wheel attachment assembly, the wheel attachment assembly configured to be removably attached to a wheel of a mobility aid;

a motion sensor that includes an accelerometer assembly and is configured to measure rotation of the wheel attachment assembly based on measurements from the accelerometer assembly;

a transceiver in electronic communication with the motion sensor and configured to transmit data based on measurements from the motion sensor;

a processing device; and

a memory device that stores instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the apparatus to;

identify a start of a mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor;

identify an end of the mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor; and

responsive to identifying the end of the mobility event, store summary data associated with the mobility event and broadcast a connection request.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to determine a distance of the mobility event based on a mobility aid parameter stored in the memory device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wheel attachment assembly is configured to removably attach to a side surface of the wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises an aperture configured to receive a hub of the wheel.

5. A system comprising:

a stationary communication node; and

a monitoring device that is configured to removably attach to a mobility aid, the monitoring device including;

a transceiver;

a motion sensor configured to measure motion of the monitoring device;

a processing device; and

a memory device that stores instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the monitoring device to;

determine that an interval time period has elapsed;

generate an interval summary indicating whether any motion was detected during the interval time period;

broadcast a connection request directed to the communication node;

establish a connection with the communication node;

transmit the interval summary to the communication node;

identify a start of a mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor;

identify an end of the mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor; and

responsive to identifying the end of the mobility event;

store summary data associated with the mobility event;

broadcast a connection request directed to the stationary communication node; and

establish a connection with the stationary communication node.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the monitoring device is configured to attach to a wheel of a walker so that the monitoring device rotates with the wheel.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the stationary communication node includes a transceiver, a processing device, and a memory device that stores instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the stationary communication node to:

receive connection requests broadcast by the monitoring device;

responsive to receiving a connecting request;

establish a connection with the monitoring device;

receive an interval summary;

store the interval summary;

determine a signal strength for the connection; and

associate the signal strength with the stored interval summary.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions stored on the memory device of the stationary communication node further cause the stationary communication node to:

determine an identifier of the monitoring device; and

associate the identifier with the stored interval summary.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions stored on the memory device of the stationary communication node further cause the stationary communication node to transmit data received from the monitoring device to a server computing device, wherein the transmitted data includes the interval summary and the identifier.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising the server computing device, the server computing device being configured to:

associate the received data with a patient based on the identifier; and

generate a user alert based on determining that an inactivity time threshold has been exceeded based on a plurality of interval summaries received from the communication node indicating that the monitoring device has detected less movement than a movement threshold.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the monitoring device to:

identify a start of a mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor;

identify an end of the mobility event based on measurements from the motion sensor; and

responsive to identifying the end of the mobility event;

store summary data associated with the mobility event;

broadcast a connection request directed to the stationary communication node;

establish a connection with the stationary communication node; and

transmit the summary data associated with the mobility event to the stationary communication node.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the summary data associated with the mobility event includes a start time of the mobility event, a duration of the mobility event, and a cumulative motion value for the mobility event.

13. The system of claim 5, further comprising a wearable device that includes a transceiver and a motion sensor, wherein the wearable device is configured to:

detect movement of a user based on the motion sensor;

responsive to detecting movement, transmit data associated with the movement to the communication node; and

wherein the communication node is configured to generate an alert upon receiving an indication from the wearable device that the user is moving and determining that the monitoring device is stationary.

14. A method comprising:

receiving data generated by an attachable monitoring device for a mobility aid, the data including mobility events that include time values and duration values of mobility events detected by a motion sensor of the monitoring device;

determining that the data satisfies an alert condition by;

classifying at least some of the mobility events as being bathroom visits based on the time values and duration values;

determining a number of bathroom visits during a time period; and

determining that the number of bathroom visits during the time period exceeds a bathroom visit threshold; and

generating an alert based on the alert condition being satisfied.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating an alert comprises:

generating an alert directed to a patient associated with the attachable monitoring device; and

responsive to determining that the patient has not responded to the alert within a response time period, generating a second alert directed to a secondary user associated with the patient.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

receiving data generated by the attachable monitoring device comprises receiving interval summaries that include cumulative distance information detected by a motion sensor of the monitoring device during a corresponding interval of time; and

determining that the data satisfies the alert condition comprises;

determining a current inactivity streak value based on the received data;

comparing the current inactivity streak value to an inactivity threshold; and

determining the current inactivity streak value exceeds the inactivity threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobility events include a signal strength value that corresponds to a determined signal strength between the attachable monitoring device and a stationary communication node and the classifying is based on signal strength values.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

receiving data generated by the attachable monitoring device comprises receiving mobility event data that indicates a mobility event has started; and

generating an alert comprises;

generating a mobility event alert;

transmitting the mobility event to a mobile computing device;

establishing a connection with the mobile computing device; and

streaming data generated by the attachable monitoring device to the mobile computing device.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a signal strength between the attachable monitoring device and a stationary communication node; and

determining that the signal strength and data satisfy an alert condition.

20. A system comprising:

a stationary communication node; and

a monitoring device that is configured to removably attach to a mobility aid, the monitoring device including;

a transceiver;

a motion sensor configured to measure motion of the monitoring device;

a processing device; and

a memory device that stores instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the monitoring device to;

determine that an interval time period has elapsed;

generate an interval summary indicating whether any motion was detected during the interval time period;

broadcast a connection request directed to the communication node;

establish a connection with the communication node; and

transmit the interval summary to the communication node;

wherein the stationary communication node is configured to communicate with the monitoring device and includes;

a processing device; and

a memory device that stores instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the stationary communication node to;

receive connection requests broadcast by the monitoring device;

responsive to receiving a connection request;

establish a connection with the monitoring device;

receive an interval summary;

store the interval summary;

determine a signal strength for the connection; and

associate the signal strength with the stored interval summary.

21. A system comprising:

a stationary communication node;

a monitoring device that is configured to removably attach to a mobility aid, the monitoring device including;

a transceiver; and

a motion sensor configured to measure motion of the monitoring device; and

a wearable device that includes a transceiver and a motion sensor, wherein the wearable device is configured to;

detect movement of a user based on the motion sensor;

responsive to detecting movement, transmit data associated with the movement to the stationary communication node; and

wherein the stationary communication node is configured to generate an alert upon receiving an indication from the wearable device that the user is moving and determining that the monitoring device is stationary.

22. A method comprising:

receiving data generated by an attachable monitoring device for a mobility aid;

determining that the data satisfies an alert condition by;

receiving data generated by a wearable device that includes a motion sensor and is configured to be worn by a patient; and

determining that the data generated by the wearable device indicates that the patient is moving and the data generated by the attachable monitoring device indicates that the mobility aid is stationary; and

generating an alert based on the alert condition being satisfied.