Noninvasive Method And System For Monitoring Physiological Characteristics

• US 20110054271A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: CZAPLA, Larry James, DERCHAK, P. Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,526,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 : Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Monitoring systems for noninvasively monitoring physiological parameters of a subject, including (i) a wearable monitoring garment adapted to cover at least a portion of a subject'"'"'s torso, and (ii) a magnetometer system that is embedded in the monitoring garment, the magnetometer system including at least paired first transmission and receiver magnetometers and paired second transmission and receiver magnetometers, the magnetometer system being responsive to changes in distance between the paired magnetometers.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for noninvasively monitoring parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, the system comprising:

a monitoring garment configured to cover a portion of a subject'"'"'s torso; and

a magnetometer system embedded in the monitoring garment and comprising a first transmission magnetometer configured to generate, at a first position, a first magnetic field and a first receive magnetometer configured to receive, at a second position, the first magnetic field,

wherein the magnetometer system is responsive to changes in distance between the first and second positions, and

wherein the magnetometer system is further configured to generate and transmit a signal representing a change in the distance between the first and second positions.

2. A monitoring system for noninvasively monitoring parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, the system comprising:

a monitoring garment configured to cover a portion of a subject'"'"'s torso; and

a magnetometer system embedded in the monitoring garment and comprising a first transmission magnetometer, a first receive magnetometer, a second transmission magnetometer, and a second receive magnetometer,

wherein the first transmission magnetometer is configured to generate, at a first position, a first magnetic field,

wherein the first receive magnetometer is configured to receive, at a second position, the first magnetic field,

wherein the second transmission magnetometer is configured to generate, at a third position, a second magnetic field,

wherein the second receive magnetometer is configured to receive, at a fourth position, the first and second magnetic fields,

wherein the magnetometer system is responsive to changes in distance between the first and second positions, the third and fourth positions, and the first and fourth positions, and is further configured to generate and transmit a first signal representing a change in distance between the first and second positions, a second signal representing a change in distance between the third and fourth positions, and a third signal representing a change in distance between the first and fourth positions.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring garment comprises a shirt.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein, when the monitoring garment is worn by the subject, the first position is on the front of the subject proximate the subject'"'"'s abdomen, the second position is on the back of the subject proximate the same axial plane of the first position, the fourth position is on the front of the subject proximate the base of the subject'"'"'s sternum, and the third position is on the back of the subject proximate the same axial plane of the fourth position, whereby the first signal represents a displacement of the subject'"'"'s abdominal region, the second signal represents a displacement of the subject'"'"'s rib cage, and the third signal represents a displacement of the subject'"'"'s chest wall.

5. The monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising:

a processor system for processing the first, second, and third signals; and

a transmission system for transmitting the first, second, and third signals from the magnetometer system to the processor system.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the processor system comprises an empirical relationship for determining at least one respiratory parameter from the first, second, and third signals.

7. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the processor system is embedded in the monitoring garment.

8. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the transmission system comprises a wireless communication link and associated protocol.

9. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the transmission system comprises a wired transmission network.

10. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the processor system and the magnetometer system are carried by the monitoring garment.

11. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the shirt is sleeveless.

12. A monitoring system for noninvasively monitoring parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, the system comprising:

a monitoring garment configured to cover a portion of a subject'"'"'s torso;

a magnetometer system embedded in the monitoring garment and comprising a first transmission magnetometer, a first receive magnetometer, a second transmission magnetometer, and a second receive magnetometer;

a physiological sensor system embedded in the monitoring garment and configured to detect a physiological parameter associated with the subject, and to generate and transmit a physiological parameter signal representing the detected physiological parameter;

a processor system; and

a transmission system,

wherein the first transmission magnetometer is configured to generate, at a first position, a first magnetic field,

wherein the first receive magnetometer is configured to receive, at a second position, the first magnetic field,

wherein the second transmission magnetometer is configured to generate, at a third position, a second magnetic field,

wherein the second receive magnetometer is configured to receive, at a fourth position, the first and second magnetic fields,

wherein the magnetometer system is responsive to changes in distance between the first and second positions, the third and fourth positions, and the first and fourth positions, and is further configured to generate and transmit a first signal representing a change in distance between the first and second positions, a second signal representing a change in distance between the third and fourth positions, and a third signal representing a change in distance between the first and fourth positions,

wherein the processor system comprises an empirical relationship for determining a respiratory parameter from the first, second, and third signals, and is configured to generate and transmit a respiratory parameter signal representing the respiratory parameter and the physiological parameter signal, and

wherein the transmission system is configured to transmit the first, second, and third signals, and the physiological parameter signal, from the magnetometer system and the physiological sensor system to the processor system.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the monitoring garment comprises a shirt.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein, when the monitoring garment is worn by the subject, the first position is on the front of the subject proximate the subject'"'"'s abdomen, the second position is on the back of the subject proximate the same axial plane of the first position, the fourth position is on the front of the subject proximate the base of the subject'"'"'s sternum, and the third position is on the back of the subject proximate the same axial plane of the fourth position, whereby the first signal represents a displacement of subject'"'"'s abdominal region, the second signal represents a displacement of the subject'"'"'s rib cage, and the third signal represents a displacement of the subject'"'"'s chest wall.

15. The monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the transmission system comprises a wireless communication link.

16. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the transmission system comprises a wired transmission network.

17. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the processor system is embedded in the monitoring garment.

18. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the processor system, the magnetometer system, and the physiological sensor system are carried by the monitoring garment.

19. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the shirt is sleeveless.

20. The monitoring system of claim 12, further comprising a monitoring system configured to receive the respiratory parameter and physiological parameter signals from the processor system, and to recognize and display the respiratory parameter represented by the respiratory parameter signal and the physiological parameter represented by the physiological parameter signal.