Method and system for generating physiological signals with fabric capacitive sensors

• US 10,376,155 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chang-Ming Yang, Ching Wen Yang, Hao Yang, Tzulin Yang
• Original Assignee: Chang-Ming Yang, Ching Wen Yang, Hao Yang, Tzulin Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Chang-Ming, Yang, Tzulin, Yang, Ching Wen, Yang, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US13/671,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/256 Wearable electrodes, e.g. having straps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/265 containing silver or silver chloride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/27 Conductive fabrics or textiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/277 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 : Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 : for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for generating physiological signals using a cloth capacitive sensor, includes a cloth, at least one conductive area arranged on the cloth, a signal circuit; a capacitive sensor formed between the cloth and a human body; a resistor R, a capacitor C, an inductor L, an operational amplifier, a diode, a Schmitt trigger, CMOS, a transistor, or an IC that forms a charge or discharge circuit, connected with the cloth capacitive sensor to change a signal range of frequency, cycle, voltage or current; wherein when a force, pressure, tensile force, torsion or tension is applied between the human body and the cloth, the capacitance changes, the circuit sends a signal, and the system receives the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the human body; wherein the change is represented by a frequency, cycle, voltage or current change.

Claims

1. A system for generating physiological signals using a cloth capacitive sensor, comprising

at least a piece of cloth;

at least one conductive area arranged on the cloth

a signal circuit;

a capacitive sensor formed between the at least one conductive area and the skin of body, wherein the at least one conductive area is in direct contact with the skin of body;

and

a resistor R, a capacitor C, an inductor L, an operational amplifier, a diode, a Schmitt trigger, CMOS, a transistor, or an IC that forms a charge or discharge circuit, connected, in series or in parallel, with the cloth capacitive sensor to change a signal range of frequency, cycle, voltage or current;

wherein when a pressure, stretching force, torsion, or tensile force is applied between the body and the cloth, or when a dielectric constant between the body and the cloth changes, the capacitance changes, the signal circuit sends a signal that comprises the change in capacitance between the at least one conductive area arranged on the cloth and the body to the system;

wherein the change is represented by a frequency, cycle, voltage or current change, which is used to determine physiological change, posture change, medium change between the body and the cloth, gait analysis, and or at least one of the applied pressure, the stretching force, the torsion, or the tensile force.

2. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein a material is set between the at least one conductive area and the skin.

3. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the physiological change information is selected from a group consisting of:

breathing, swallowing, coughing, sweating, heartbeat, pulsation and temperature.

4. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductive cloth is provided on clothing, hats, pants, masks, socks, shoes, bed sheets, pillows, gloves, steering wheels, crutches, tablecloth, chairs, carpets, protective clothing, slippers, insoles, safety belts, hats, or artificial products including artificial limbs, artificial eyes and artificial ears.

5. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein sweat, wound, sweating, medicine coating or makeup is detected through a change of dielectric constants caused by the change in capacitance between the at least one conductive area and the skin.

6. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the skin further determines one from a group consisting of:

angle, angular speed or angular acceleration of joints.

7. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the skin further determines one from a group consisting of:

position, displacement, speed, acceleration, center of mass change, center of mass speed, center of mass acceleration and travelling distance.

8. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive area is made by a different conductive material or by the same conductive materials having differing size areas.

9. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a reference conductive area, the reference conductive area is grounded, wherein the signal circuit also sends a signal that comprises the change in capacitance between the reference conductive area and the body to the system.

10. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein sleep actigraphy of a human body can be detected by the cloth capacitive sensor.

11. The system for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein

an elastic material is coated on the cloth;

the cloth comprises an elastic material;

or

a material of the conductive area is conductive wires or conductive yarns.

12. A method for generating physiological signals using a cloth capacitive sensor, comprising:

providing a system for generating physiological signals, wherein the system comprises

at least a piece of cloth;

at least one conductive area arranged on the cloth

a signal circuit;

a capacitive sensor formed between the at least one conductive area and the skin of body, wherein the at least one conductive area is in direct contact with the skin of body;

a resistor R, a capacitor C, an inductor L, an operational amplifier, a diode, a Schmitt trigger, CMOS, a transistor, or an IC that forms a charge or discharge circuit, connected, in series or in parallel, with the cloth capacitive sensor to change a signal range of frequency, cycle, voltage or current;

wherein when pressure, stretching force, torsion, or tensile force, is applied between the body and the cloth, or when a dielectric constant between the body and the cloth changes, the capacitance changes, the signal circuit sends a signal that comprises the change in capacitance between the at least one conductive area arranged on the cloth and the body to the system;

measuring the change in the capacitance, wherein the change is represented by frequency, cycle, voltage or current change; and

determining, from the change in capacitance, physiological change, posture change, medium change between the body and the cloth, gait analysis, or at least one of the applied pressure, the stretching force, the torsion, or the tensile force.

13. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the change represented by frequency, cycle, voltage, or current change is used to further determine at least one selected from a group consisting of:

gait analysis, gait stability, fall, sleep actigraphy or displacement, or sleep.

14. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, further measuring a change in capacitance between a reference conductive area and the body, wherein the reference conductive area is grounded.

15. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the at least one conductive area comprises an electrode for monitoring heartbeat, breathing, brainwave, electromyography (EMG) or electrocardiogram (ECG), body fat or sweat, or for generating transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), heat or reduce temperature.

16. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein sleep actigraphy of a human body can be detected by the cloth capacitive sensor.

17. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein

an elastic material is coated on the cloth;

the cloth comprises an elastic material;

or

a material of the conductive area is conductive wires or conductive yarns.

18. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the physiological change information is selected from a group consisting of:

breathing, swallowing, coughing, sweating, heartbeat, pulsation and temperature.

19. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the at least one conductive area comprises an electrode for monitoring heartbeat, breathing, brainwave, electromyography (EMG) or electrocardiogram (ECG), body fat or sweat, or for generating transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), heat or reduce temperature.

20. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the conductive cloth is provided on clothing, hats, masks, socks, shoes, bed sheets, pillows, gloves, steering wheels, crutches, tablecloth, chairs, carpets, protective clothing, slippers, insoles, safety belts, hats, or artificial products including artificial limbs, artificial eyes and artificial ears.

21. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein sweat, wound, sweating, medicine coating or makeup is detected through a change of dielectric constants caused by the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the skin.

22. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the skin further determines one from a group consisting of:

angle, angular speed or angular acceleration of joints.

23. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the change in capacitance between the conductive cloth and the skin further determines one from a group consisting of:

position, displacement, speed, acceleration, center of mass change, center of mass speed, center of mass acceleration and travelling distance.

24. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein the at least one conductive area is made by a different conductive material or by the same conductive materials having differing size areas.

25. The method for generating physiological signals using the cloth capacitive sensor according to claim 12, wherein a material is set between the at least one conductive area and the skin.