SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR MONITORING A SUBJECT

• US 20100234697A1
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Inventors: Marar, Uma, Walter, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US12/438,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20100234697A1
• 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 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for monitoring a subject using a monitoring patch that may include electroencephalography apparatus, electromyography apparatus, and electrooculography apparatus.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the neural, muscular, and ocular activity of a subject, the system comprising:

a self-contained monitoring patch, wherein the monitoring patch comprises;

electroencephalography apparatus to monitor neural activity of the subject during a selected time period, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus comprises an electrode;

electromyography apparatus to monitor muscular activity of the subject during the selected time period, wherein the electromyography apparatus comprises an electrode;

electrooculography apparatus to monitor ocular activity of the subject during a selected period of time, wherein the electrooculography apparatus comprises an electrode;

storage apparatus electrically coupled to the electroencephalography apparatus to store neural activity data, to the electromyography apparatus to store muscular activity data, and to the electrooculography apparatus to store ocular activity data;

a power supply; and

adhesive to attach the monitoring patch to the subject; and

an analysis system to analyze the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data, wherein the analysis system comprises;

an input interface coupleable to the storage apparatus to receive the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data;

processing apparatus coupled to the input interface to analyze the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data; and

an output interface coupled to the processing apparatus to output results from the analysis of the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the neural activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the neural activity of the subject that oscillates between about 0.5 hertz to about 70 hertz.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromyography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the muscular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromyography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the muscular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrooculography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the ocular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrooculography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the ocular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch comprises a removable memory device, and wherein the input interface of the analysis system comprises a slot to interface with the removable memory device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an output interface to transmit the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data to the analysis system, wherein the output interface of the monitoring patch is operably coupleable to the input interface of the analysis system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an indicator to indicate the state of the monitoring patch.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus of the analysis system analyzes the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data from the storage apparatus to determine how long the subject has slept.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a numerical length of the time the subject has slept.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a graphical representation of the time the subject has slept.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a numerical length of the time the subject was vigilant.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a graphical representation of the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus of the analysis system analyzes the data from the from the storage apparatus to determine the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a numerical value representing the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface of the analysis system displays a numerical value representing the vigilance of the subject during a portion of the selected time period.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis system further comprises verification apparatus to verify that the monitoring patch was worn continuously by the subject during the selected time period.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises verification apparatus to verify that the monitoring patch was worn continuously by the subject during the selected time period.

21. A method for monitoring the neural, muscular, and ocular activity of a subject, the method comprising:

providing a self-contained monitoring patch, wherein the monitoring patch comprises;

electroencephalography apparatus electrically coupled to a storage apparatus;

electromyography apparatus electrically coupled to the storage apparatus;

electrooculography apparatus electrically coupled to the storage apparatus;

one or more electrodes electrically coupled to the electroencephalography apparatus, the electromyography apparatus, and the electrooculography apparatus;

a power supply; and

adhesive;

attaching the monitoring patch to a subject;

monitoring neural activity of the subject with the electroencephalography apparatus during a selected period of time to obtain neural activity data;

monitoring muscular activity of the subject with the electromyography apparatus during a selected period of time to obtain muscular activity data;

monitoring ocular activity of the subject with the electrooculography apparatus during a selected period of time to obtain ocular activity data;

transferring the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data from the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch to an analysis system;

analyzing the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data using the analysis system; and

outputting a result based on the analysis of the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring the neural activity of the subject with the electroencephalography apparatus during the selected period of time comprises:

sampling the neural activity of the subject;

converting the neural activity to the neural activity data; and

storing the neural activity data on the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch;

wherein monitoring the muscular activity of the subject with the electromyography apparatus during the selected period of time comprises;

sampling the muscular activity of the subject;

converting the muscular activity to the muscular activity data; and

storing the muscular activity data on the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch; and

wherein monitoring the ocular activity of the subject with the electrooculography apparatus during the selected period of time comprises;

sampling the ocular activity of the subject;

converting the ocular activity to the ocular activity data; and

storing the ocular activity data on the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein sampling the neural activity of the subject comprises sampling the neural activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring the neural activity of the subject comprises monitoring the neural activity of the subject that oscillates between about 0.5 hertz to about 70 hertz.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein sampling the muscular activity of the subject comprises sampling the muscular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring the muscular activity of the subject comprises monitoring the muscular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein sampling the ocular activity of the subject comprises sampling the ocular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring the ocular activity of the subject comprises monitoring the ocular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch comprises a removable memory device, and wherein the input interface of the analysis system comprises a slot to interface with the removable memory device.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an output interface to transmit the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data to the analysis system, wherein the output interface of the monitoring patch is operably coupleable to the input interface of the analysis system.

31. The method of claim 30, the method further comprising coupling the output interface of the monitoring patch to the input interface of the analysis system.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an indicator to indicate the state of the monitoring patch.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein analyzing the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data comprises determining how long the subject has slept during the selected period of time.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a numerical length of the time the subject has slept.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a graphical representation of the time the subject has slept.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a numerical length of the time the subject was vigilant.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a graphical representation of the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein analyzing the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data comprises determining the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a numerical value representative of the vigilance of the subject during the selected time period.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the result through the output interface comprises displaying a numerical value representative of the vigilance of the subject during a portion of the selected time period.

41. The method of claim 21, the method further comprising verifying that the monitoring patch was worn continuously by the subject during the selected time period.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises verification apparatus to verify that the monitoring patch was worn continuously by the subject during the selected time period.

43. A monitoring patch for monitoring the neural, muscular, and ocular activity of a subject, the monitoring patch comprising:

electroencephalography apparatus to monitor neural activity of the subject during a selected time period, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus comprises an electrode;

electromyography apparatus to monitor muscular activity of the subject during a selected time period, wherein the electromyography apparatus comprises an electrode;

electrooculography apparatus to monitor ocular activity of the subject during a selected period of time, wherein the electrooculography apparatus comprises an electrode;

storage apparatus electrically coupled to the electroencephalography apparatus to store neural activity data, to the electromyography apparatus to store muscular activity data, and to the electrooculography apparatus to store ocular activity data;

a power supply;

adhesive to attach the monitoring patch to the subject; and

wherein the monitoring patch is self-contained.

44. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the neural activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

45. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electroencephalography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the neural activity of the subject that oscillates between about 0.5 hertz to about 70 hertz.

46. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electromyography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the muscular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

47. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electromyography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the muscular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

48. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electrooculography apparatus of the monitoring patch samples the ocular activity of the subject at about 140 hertz or less.

49. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the electrooculography apparatus of the monitoring patch monitors the ocular activity of the subject that oscillates between about 10 hertz to about 90 hertz.

50. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the storage apparatus of the monitoring patch comprises a removable memory device.

51. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an output interface to transmit the neural activity data, the muscular activity data, and the ocular activity data.

52. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises an indicator to indicate the state of the monitoring patch.

53. The monitoring patch of claim 43, wherein the monitoring patch further comprises verification apparatus to verify that the monitoring patch was worn continuously by the subject during the selected time period.