Unobtrusive system and method for monitoring the physiological condition of a target user of a vehicle

• US 20080183388A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1A Smart Start, LLC
• Original Assignee: Alan Goodrich
• Inventors: Goodrich, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An unobtrusive system for monitoring the physiological condition of a target user of a vehicle including a wearable device affixed to the target user. A measurement subsystem is releasably coupled to the wearable device configured to measure a concentration of at least one analyte in the blood of the target user at one or more time increments. A proximity sensor is configured to detect the location of the wearable device. A vehicle control subsystem is responsive to the proximity sensor and the measurement subsystem and is configured to determine if the wearable device is proximate a predetermined location in the vehicle and configured to determine if the measured concentration of the at least one analyte exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration level, and based on such a determination, initiate one or more predetermined actions.

Claims

1. An unobtrusive system for monitoring the physiological condition of a target user of a vehicle comprising:

a wearable device affixed to the target user;

a measurement subsystem releasably coupled to the wearable device configured to measure a concentration of at least one analyte in the blood of the target user at one or more time increments;

a proximity sensor configured to detect the location of the wearable device; and

a vehicle control subsystem responsive to the proximity sensor and the measurement subsystem configured to determine if the wearable device is proximate a predetermined location in the vehicle and configured to determine if the measured concentration of the at least one analyte exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration level, and based on such a determination, initiate one or more predetermined actions.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the at least one analyte includes an analyte chosen from the group consisting of:

alcohol, drugs, glucose, proteins, enzymes, hormones, glucose ethanol, insulin, water, carbon dioxide, blood oxygen, cholesterol, bilirubin, ketones, fatty acids, lipoproteins, albumin, urea, creatinine, white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, organic molecules, inorganic molecules, pharmaceuticals, narcotics, tetrahydrocannabinol, cytochrome, various proteins and chromophores, microcalcifications, electrolytes, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, and hormones.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the measurement subsystem is configured as an infrared spectrometer.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the infrared spectrometer includes one or more processors and a power supply located in the measurement subsystem and one or more processors, a light source, and a photodetector located in the wearable device.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the light source emits light at a predetermined wavelength into the subcutaneous layer of the skin of the target user and the photodetector detects the wavelength of the reflected light emitted the subcutaneous layer of the skin of the target user.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the measurement subsystem determines a change in the wavelength of the light emitted by the light source and the light detected by the photodetector to determine the concentration of the at least one analyte in the blood of the target user.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the measurement subsystem is uniquely matched to the wearable device.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the measurement subsystem includes a unique RF ID tag.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the wearable device includes a unique RF ID tag.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the measurement subsystem is configured to transmit physiological data of the measured concentration of the at least one analyte in the blood of the target user to the vehicle control subsystem when the RF ID tag of the measurement subsystem uniquely matches the RF ID tag of the wearable device.

11. The system of claim 9 in which the wearable device includes a processor configured to determine the identity of the RF ID tag of the wearable device.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the measurement subsystem includes a processor configured to determine if the identity of RF ID tag located in the measurement subsystem and if the RF ID tag of the measurement subsystem uniquely matches the RF ID tag of the wearable device.

13. The system of claim 11 in which the vehicle control subsystem includes one or more processors, one or more transmitters and one or more receivers.

14. The system of claim 13 further including a power supply coupled to the vehicle control system.

15. The system of claim 11 in which the wearable device includes one or more processors and one or more transmitters.

16. The system of claim 1 in which the wearable device includes a tamper proof bracket.

17. The system of claim 1 in which the wearable device includes a tamper proof anklet.

18. The system of claim 1 in which the wearable deice is coupled to the measurement subsystem by one or more electrical contacts.

19. The system of claim 4 in which the measurement subsystem includes one or more contacts for connecting to a power source for recharging the power supply.

20. The system of claim 4 further including one or more gaskets disposed between the measurement subsystem and the wearable device configured to adjust the distance between the measurement subsystem and the wearable device and minimize extraneous light.

21. The system of claim 1 in which the proximity sensor includes a DC pulse magnetic resonator configured to detect the distance and spatial orientation of a magnetic sensor located in the wearable device.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the proximity sensor is located in the vehicle.

23. The system of claim 21 in which the proximity sensor is located proximate the steering column of the vehicle.

24. The system of claim 21 in which the vehicle control system, responsive to signals from the proximity sensor, defines the predetermined location in the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 24 in which the vehicle control system is configured to determine if the wearable device is proximate the predetermined location in the vehicle.

26. The system of claim 25 in which the predetermined location is the area proximate the driver'"'"'s area of the vehicle.

27. The system of claim 26 in which the proximity sensor communicates to the vehicle control subsystem by a direct connection.

28. The system of claim 27 in which the proximity sensor communicates to the vehicle control system wirelessly.

29. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more time increments include a first time the target user starts the vehicle and thereafter at random and/or predetermined time increments.

30. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more predetermined actions include an action chosen from the group consisting of:

not allowing the vehicle to start, speed governing of the vehicle, a global positioning system response to law enforcement personnel as to the location of the vehicle, emitting light from the vehicle, and emitting sound from the vehicle.

31. The system of claim 1 in which the predetermined threshold concentration level includes about 0.08% alcohol in the blood of the target user, and/or a measurable amount of illegal drugs in the blood of the target user and/or a change in protein-c levels in the blood of the target user that may be indicative of a heart attack in the blood of the target user and/or an unsafe blood glucose level in the blood of the target user.

32. An unobtrusive method for monitoring the physiological condition of a target user of a vehicle comprising:

affixing a wearable device to a target user;

measuring the concentration of at least one analyte in the blood of a target user in the vehicle one or more time increments;

determining if the wearable device is proximate a predetermined location in the vehicle; and

determining if the measured concentration of at least one analyte exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration level and based on such a determination, initiate one or more predetermined actions.

33. The method of claim 32 in which the at least one analyte includes an analyte chosen from the group consisting of:

alcohol, drugs, glucose, proteins, enzymes, hormones, glucose ethanol, insulin, water, carbon dioxide, blood oxygen, cholesterol, bilirubin, ketones, fatty acids, lipoproteins, albumin, urea, creatinine, white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, organic molecules, inorganic molecules, pharmaceuticals, narcotics, tetrahydrocannabinol, cytochrome, various proteins and chromophores, microcalcifications, electrolytes, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, and hormones.

34. The method of claim 32 further including the step of emitting light at a predetermined wavelength into the subcutaneous layer of the skin of a target user and detecting the wavelength of the light emitted from the subcutaneous layer of the skin of the target user.

35. The method of claim 34 further including the step of determining a change in the wavelength of the light emitted into the subcutaneous layer of the skin of the target user, and the light emitted out of the subcutaneous layer of the skin of the target user to determine the concentration of the at least one analyte in the blood of the target user.

36. The method of claim 32 further including the step of determining if the wearable device is uniquely matched to the measurement subsystem.

37. The method of claim 32 in which the one or more actions include an action chosen from the group consisting of:

not allowing the vehicle to start, speed governing of the vehicle, a global positioning system response to law enforcement personnel as to the location of the vehicle, emitting light from the vehicle, and emitting sound from the vehicle.

38. The method of claim 32 in which the predetermined threshold concentration level includes about 0.08% alcohol in the blood of the target user and/or a measurable amount of illegal drugs in the blood of the target user and/or a change in protein-c levels that may be indicative of a heart attack in the blood of the target user and/or an unsafe blood glucose level in the blood of the target user.