EXTENDED OPTICAL RANGE SYSTEM FOR MONITORING MOTION OF A MEMBER

• US 20100198086A1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Textronics Incorporated (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Kuo, Chia Chyuan, Coulston, George W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/14 Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02431 with electronic components, e.g. sensors or switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3008 Woven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3024 Including elastic strand or strip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3382 Including a free metal or alloy constituent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/40 Knit fabric [i.e., knit strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/413 Including an elastic strand

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a physiological parameter includes a garment that includes a fabric that exhibits both a light transmission property and a light reflection property. The amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, such as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers and at least one detector responsive to such incident radiation. The source and detector are associated with the fabric such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric when the fabric stretches. A signal processor converts a signal from the detector into a signal representative of at least one predetermined physiological parameter of a wearer of the garment.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring at least one predetermined physiological parameter of a wearer, comprising:

a garment, at least a portion of which garment is formed from a fabric having a first side defining an exterior surface and having a second side defining a wearer-contacting interior surface when said garment is worn by the wearer, said fabric having a region thereof defining gaps of a first size between yarns when said fabric is stretched and defining gaps of a second size between yarns that is different from said first size when the fabric recovers from stretch in response to at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the wearer of the garment;

at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers positioned external to the fabric to direct radiation onto the exterior surface and onto the region;

at least one detector responsive to incident radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers, to produce a signal representative thereof, with said detector mounted to either the first side or the second side of the fabric and external to the fabric,

wherein the source and detector are associated with the fabric in substantially fixed relative positions with respect to the region such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector at a first time interval when the fabric is stretched as compared to the reception of incident radiation by the detector at a second time interval when the fabric recovers from stretch is directly affected by a change in the amount of light reflected by yarns or transmitted through the gaps as the fabric of the region periodically stretches and recovers from stretch in response to at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the wearer of the garment; and

a signal processor that converts periodically varying signal output received from the detector or from a data acquisition unit associated with the detector into a signal representative of the at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the wearer of the garment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is mounted in the garment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source and the detector are mounted on opposing sides of the fabric.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the source and detector are mounted on a same side of the fabric.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fabric includes yarns selected from the group consisting of reflective yarns, stretchable yarns, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the source provides radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers;

and wherein the detector responds to radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers.

7. A method for monitoring at least one predetermined physiological parameter of a wearer, comprising:

directing radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers from a source onto a region of an exterior surface of a fabric of a garment, said fabric having a first side defining the exterior surface and having a second side defining a wearer-contacting interior surface when said garment is worn by the wearer, wherein said region defines gaps of a first size between yarns when said fabric is stretched and defines gaps of a second size between yarns that is different from said first size when the fabric recovers from stretch;

detecting incident radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers with a detector, to produce a signal representative thereof, with said detector mounted to either the first side or the second side of the fabric and external to the fabric,

wherein the source and detector are associated with the fabric in substantially fixed relative positions with respect to the region such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector at a first time interval when the fabric is stretched as compared to the reception of incident radiation by the detector at a second time interval when the fabric recovers from stretch is directly affected by a change in the amount of light reflected by yarns or transmitted through the gaps as the fabric of the region periodically stretches and recovers from stretch in response to at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the wearer of the garment; and

converting with a signal processor periodically varying signal output received from the detector or from a data acquisition unit associated with the detector into a signal representative of the at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the wearer of the garment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal processor is mounted in the garment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the source and the detector are mounted on opposing sides of the fabric.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the source and detector are mounted on a same side of the fabric.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the fabric includes yarns selected from the group consisting of reflective yarns, stretchable yarns, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the physiological parameter is heart rate.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the physiological parameter is respiration rate.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the physiological parameter is blood pressure.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the source provides radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers;

and wherein the detector responds to radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers.