Wearable Wireless Device for Monitoring, Analyzing and Communicating Physiological Status

• US 20080214901A1
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Russell, James Knox, Lyster, Thomas Dean, Gehman, Stacy Earl, Fay-Lauria, Cheryl A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

A wearable compact, lightweight, noninvasive, wearable “unified” device or system (10), that does not compromise a user'"'"'s motion and flexibility, detects, processes, analyzes and reports predetermined physical states of a human body. The system includes at least one pair of sense electrodes (14) and one reference electrode (16), each configured to be adhesively attached to a surface of the body (30). An electronics module (12) is in electrical communication with each of the electrodes, includes a power source, and processes and analyzes signals provided by the electrodes. The plurality of electrodes and the electronics module are covered by a single adhesive membrane (20) that enables the wearable device to adhere to the surface of the body.

Claims

1. A wearable device for detecting, processing, analyzing and reporting predetermined physical states of a human body, the device comprising

a plurality of electrodes, including at least one pair of sense electrodes and a reference electrode, each of said electrodes configured to be adhesively attached to a surface of the body;

and

an electronics module, said module in electrical communication with each of said plurality of electrodes, said module including a power source, and said module processing and analyzing signals provided by said plurality of electrodes,

wherein said plurality of electrodes and said electronics module are covered by a single adhesive membrane to enable said wearable device to adhere to the surface of the body.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronics module includes a wireless transmitter and, upon detection by said electronics module of a predetermined condition, the wireless transmitter transmits an alarm status.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronics module includes a battery.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said reference electrode is a dry electrode.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said reference electrode is integrally formed with said electronics module.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronics module has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein a plurality of conductive pads are formed on the top and bottom surfaces.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronics module has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein a plurality of conductive pads are formed on the bottom surface.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of the conductive pads is silver plated on said electronics module.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the pair of sense electrodes and the reference electrode 16 are integral to a breathable cloth matrix.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the breathable cloth matrix includes electrode gel on a top surface and a bottom surface of said cloth matrix.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode is positioned on the breathable cloth matrix between the pair of sense electrodes.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sense electrodes are at least two inches apart.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for providing a local alarm to a person wearing said device indicating that an alarm status is indicated.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a deactivation mechanism, wherein said deactivation mechanism may be operated so as to prevent said device from wirelessly transmitting a further indication of the alarm status.

15. An apparatus for detecting, processing, analyzing and reporting physiological conditions, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes configured to be adhesively attached to a surface of a human body for detecting physiological data; and

processing means in electrical communication with each of said plurality of electrodes, said processing means analyzing and processing signals provided by said plurality of electrodes into physiological output data,

wherein said plurality of electrodes and said processing means are mounted within the confines of a single flexible adhesive material adapted to be adhered to the human body, such that said electrodes and said processing means avoid interfering with the motion and flexibility of said human body.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processing means includes a battery.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising output means in electrical communication with said processing means for communicating the output data to a user.