WEARABLE DEVICE FOR ADAPTIVELY RECORDING SIGNALS

• US 20100090834A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Shir, Uri, Buchnick, Judy, Pomerantz, Itzhak
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00

Abstract

A condition of a subject is monitored by a wearable recording unit that adaptively records various signals associated with the condition of the subject. The various signals are recorded by the wearable recording unit using a recording plan that is contextually adaptively updated to the monitored subject from one recording session to another based on the result of the analysis of previous recording sessions.

Claims

1. A wearable recording unit comprising:

a) a recording unit, the recording unit including,

(i) one or more signal sensors for sensing signals pertaining to the condition of a subject;

(ii) a memory unit;

(iii) a recording controller; and

b) an attachment for attaching the wearable recording unit to or near the subject,

wherein the recording controller is configured (i) to receive a recording instruction based on a recording plan and to record sensor signals in the memory unit based on the recording instruction, (ii) to transfer recorded signals to a docking station for analysis, and (iii) to receive from the docking station and to enforce a recording instruction under the recording plan which is adapted in response to previously recorded signals.

2. The wearable recording unit as in claim 1, wherein the attachment is a wrist strap.

3. The wearable recording unit as in claim 1, wherein a first end of the recording unit is affixed to a first electrical connector and a second end of the recording unit is affixed to a first end of a wrist strap, a second end of which includes a second electrical connector, the first and the second electrical connectors being adapted to be functionally connected to the docking station.

4. The wearable recording unit as in claim 3, wherein the first and the second electrical connectors are provided with a locking mechanism.

5. The wearable recording unit as in claim 3, wherein the first electrical connector is a male USB connector and the second electrical connector is a female USB connector.

6. The wearable recording unit as in claim 1, wherein each of the recording plan and adapted recording plan is operative to set one or more of schedule, sensitivity, duration and resolution of the recording of signals.

7. A system for adaptively recording signals pertaining to the condition of a subject, the system comprising:

a) one or more signal sensors;

b) a wearable recording unit operative to record one or more signals of the signal sensors according to a recording plan;

c) a docking station configured to receive the recording unit, the docking station including,

(i) an analyzer configured to analyze recorded signals; and

(ii) a controller configured to adapt the recording plan for the wearable recording unit based on such analysis, based on user input, or based on both,

wherein the wearable recording unit is configured to record signals in accordance with the adapted recording plan.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the recorded signals represent one or more of physical and physiological events.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein physical and physiological events include one or more of movement, force, pressure, acoustical, thermal, electromagnetic and electrical phenomena.

10. The system as in claim 7, wherein one or more of the sensors are embedded in the wearable recording unit.

11. The system as in claim 7, wherein each of the recording plan and adapted recording plan is operative to set one or more of schedule, sensitivity, duration and resolution of the recording of signals.

12. The system as in claim 7, wherein responsive to receiving a recording instruction under a plan or adapted recording plan the wearable recording unit records a sensor signal (i) if the signal matches a predefined pattern, (ii) if the value or average value of the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined duration or regardless of such duration, or (iii) if the time characteristics, the frequency characteristics, or both characteristics of the signal match predefined pattern or characteristics.

13. The system as in claim 12, wherein the predefined pattern is indicative of an abnormal condition of the subject or the subject'"'"'s environment which can trigger an alert.

14. The system as in claim 7, wherein each of the recording plan and adapted recording plan is operative to set one or more of schedule, sensitivity, duration and resolution of the recording of signals.

15. The system as in claim 7, wherein the wearable recording unit time stamps selected recordings.

16. The system as in claim 7, wherein the wearable recording unit and the docking station communicate via a Universal Serial Bus interface.

17. The system as in claim 7, wherein the signal sensors include any one of (i) a microphone to monitor sounds, (ii) a movement detector to monitor the subject'"'"'s movements and to provide to the recording unit a signal indicative of an attempt to tamper with the recording unit, (iii) a strain gauge to detect a stress force, (iv) a pressure sensor, (iv) a temperature sensor to monitor the subject'"'"'s temperature, and (v) an ultra-violet sensor to monitor ultra-violet radiation to which the subject is exposed.

18. The system as in claim 7, wherein the wearable recording unit includes a flash memory device for holding recorded signals and recording plans.

19. The system as in claim 7 wherein the docking station further includes:

(iii) a user interface for providing the user input to the controller and for outputting information regarding recorded signals and recording plans.

20. A method for adaptively recording data pertaining to the condition of a subject, the method comprising:

a) recording, by a wearable recording unit, signals of one or more signal sensors by using a recording plan;

b) analyzing, by a docking station, the recorded signals;

c) adapting, by the docking station, the recording plan for the wearable recording unit based on such analysis, based on user input, or based on both; and

d) operating the wearable recording unit to record signals in accordance with the adapted recording plan.

21. The method as in claim 20, wherein the recorded signals represent one or more of physical and physiological events.

22. The method as in claim 20, wherein the adapted recording plan includes a recording instruction for the wearable recording unit to use a basic recording mode to record signals.

23. The method as in claim 20, wherein the adapted recording plan includes a recording instruction for the wearable recording unit to change a recording mode.

24. The method as in claim 20, wherein the adapted recording plan includes a recording instruction for the wearable recording unit to record signals at a specific recording mode for a specified time window.