EXTENDED OPTICAL RANGE REFLECTIVE SYSTEM FOR MONITORING MOTION OF A MEMBER

• US 20100198113A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Textronics Incorporated (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Coulston, George W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• 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 garment and system includes a monitoring fabric that exhibits a light reflection property and substantially no light transmission property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers. The amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into an aperture of acceptance defined with respect to an imaginary axis extending from the fabric relative to the amount of light lost to the aperture of acceptance detectably changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector, with the detector disposed in the aperture of acceptance. The source and detector may be attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into the aperture of acceptance as the fabric stretches in response to motion.

Claims

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

s a garment comprising a fabric exhibiting a light reflection property and substantially no light transmission property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range of from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers,

an aperture of acceptance defined with respect to an imaginary axis extending from the fabric;

at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range of from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers; and

at least one detector disposed in the aperture of acceptance to detect radiation having wavelength(s) in the range of from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers incident on the detector, and

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

wherein the source and detector are associated with the fabric in fixed relative positions with respect to the aperture of acceptance such that reception of incident radiation detected by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into the aperture of acceptance as the fabric periodically stretches and recovers from stretch in response to at least one predetermined physiological parameter of the garment wearer.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the fabric comprises:

a first plurality of reflective yarns knitted or woven with a second plurality of stretchable yarns, wherein each stretchable yarn is formed as a combination of a covered elastic yarn and a hard yarn.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the fabric is detachable from the garment.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the fabric is integral with the garment.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the signal processor is mounted on or in the garment.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a conductive path between the detector or data acquisition unit and the signal processor.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the conductive path is selected from the group consisting of:

interconnects, wires, wireless, yarns, filaments, and inks.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the fabric exhibits the light reflection property when illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers;

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.

9. A system for monitoring motion of a structure comprising:

a textile mantle mounted to at least a portion of the structure, at least a portion of the mantle being formed from a fabric exhibiting a light reflection property and substantially no light transmission property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range of from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers,

an aperture of acceptance defined with respect to an imaginary axis extending from the fabric;

at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers;

at least one detector disposed in the aperture of acceptance and responsive to incident radiation having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers to produce a signal representative thereof, and

a signal processor for converting a periodically varying signal output received from the detector or from a data acquisition unit associated with the detector into a signal representative of motion of the portion of the structure;

wherein the source and detector are associated with the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into the aperture of acceptance as the fabric periodically stretches and recovers from stretch in response to motion of the portion of the structure.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the source and detector are attached to the fabric.

11. The monitoring system of claim 9 wherein the fabric comprises:

a first plurality of reflective yarns knitted or woven with a second plurality of stretchable yarns, wherein each stretchable yarn is formed as a combination of a covered elastic yarn and a hard yarn.

12. The monitoring system of claim 9 wherein the fabric exhibits light reflection property when illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about four hundred (400) nanometers to about eight hundred (800) nanometers;

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.

13. The monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising a conductive path between the detector or data acquisition unit and the signal processor.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the conductive path is selected from the group consisting of:

interconnects, wires, wireless, yarns, filaments, to and inks.