Enhanced biometric control systems for detection of emergency events system and method

• US 10,582,289 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter Vincent, Kingscott, Lisa, Pereira, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Jerez Lora, William A
• Application Number:
  US16/144,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20190037299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/22 Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow exercising apparatus A63B21/00 ; measuring of work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A system, method and personal area network for communicating utilizing a wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece is linked with a communications device. Sensor measurements of a condition of a user are performed utilizing sensors of the wireless earpiece. A determination is made whether the sensor measurements exceed one or more thresholds. Communications regarding the sensor measurements are sent from the wireless earpiece to the communications device regarding the condition of the user.

Claims

1. A method for detection of emergency events, the method comprising the following steps:

linking a wireless earpiece, having a housing shaped to fit substantially within the ear of a user, with a communications device using a wireless transceiver disposed within the wireless earpiece housing;

performing sensor measurements of a user utilizing sensors of the wireless earpiece, the sensors disposed within the housing, and wherein the sensors include an inertial sensor for sensing inertial measurements and at least one biometric sensor for sensing biometric measurements;

analyzing the sensor measurements with a processor operatively connected to the sensors within the wireless earpiece;

determining at the processor whether any of the sensor measurements exceed one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event;

communicating an alert to the communications device, if the one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event are exceeded, indicating a possible emergency event; and

performing wearable sensor measurements of the user using one or more sensors of a wearable device other than the wireless earpiece and communicating the wearable sensor measurements to the wireless earpiece, if the one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event are not exceeded;

analyzing the wearable sensor measurements with the wireless earpiece processor;

determining at the processor whether any of the wearable sensor measurements exceed one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event;

communicating an alert to the communications device, if the one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event are exceeded, indicating a possible emergency event;

performing environmental sensor measurements of an environment of the user, wherein the environmental sensor measurements include environmental audio sensed with a microphone of the wireless earpiece, if the one or more thresholds associated with an emergency event are not exceeded;

logging the user sensor measurements, the wearable sensor measurements, and the environmental sensor measurements for subsequent review to a memory disposed within the housing of the wireless earpiece.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable device other than the wireless earpiece is a second wireless earpiece.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating with a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of wireless earpieces from the wireless earpiece.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless earpiece is linked with the communications device utilizing a BLUETOOTH connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless earpiece is one of a plurality of wireless earpieces communicate with the communications device to send communications regarding the condition of each of a plurality of users associated with each of the plurality of wireless earpieces.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless earpiece is one of a plurality of wireless earpieces which communicate with the communications device to send communications regarding the condition of each of a plurality of users associated with each of the plurality of wireless earpieces.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of users are engaged in an activity together.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless earpiece includes a sleeve for maintaining the wireless earpiece in the ear of the user.

6. A method for enhanced biometric detection of emergency events utilizing a wireless earpiece the wireless earpiece comprising:

a housing shaped to fit substantially within the ear of a user,

a processor located within the housing;

a transceiver operatively connected to the processor; and

a plurality of sensors located on and within the housing and operatively connected to the processor;

the method comprising the following steps;

linking, with the transceiver, the wireless earpiece to a communications device;

performing sensor measurements of the user utilizing the plurality of sensors of the wireless earpiece;

processing the sensor measurements to determine if the emergency event is occurring;

communicating an alert through the transceiver to the communications device indicating the user is possibly suffering the emergency event;

performing wearable sensor measurements of the user using one or more sensors of a wearable device other than the wireless earpiece and communicating the wearable sensor measurements to the wireless earpiece if the emergency event is not occurring;

processing the wearable sensor measurements to determine if the emergency event is occurring;

communicating an alert through the transceiver to the communications device indicating the user is possibly suffering the emergency event based upon the wearable sensor measurements;

performing environmental sensor measurements of an environment of the user;

processing the environmental sensor measurements to determine if the emergency event is occurring;

communicating an alert through the transceiver to the communications device indicating the user is possibly suffering the emergency event based upon the environmental sensor measurements; and

logging the user sensor measurements, the wearable sensor measurements, and the environmental sensor measurements for subsequent review to a memory disposed within the housing of the wireless earpiece.