COMPLIANT PRESSURE ACTUATED SURFACE SENSOR FOR ON BODY DETECTION

• US 20110082390A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marcus Krieter, Zeev Collin
• Original Assignee: Marcus Krieter, Zeev Collin
• Inventors: KRIETER, MARCUS, COLLIN, ZEEV
• Application Number:
  US12/573,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20110082390A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear

Abstract

A system for detecting actuation pressure is provided, where actuation pressure is a pressure above a pre-defined limit on the surface of a body of a user. The system includes a multi-layered pad of flexible materials which remains in contact with the surface of the body while complying with the shape of the surface of the body. The system also includes a plurality of pressure detection zones. The plurality of pressure detection zones is located on the multi-layered pad to detect actuation pressure on the surface of the body.

Claims

1. A system for detecting pressure, the system comprising:

a multi-layered pad configured to contact a surface of a body; and

a plurality of pressure detection zones located on the multi-layered pad, each plurality of pressure detection zones are configured to detect a pressure exerted onto the multi-layered pad.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a computational device configured to monitor the plurality of pressure detection zones; and

a communication device coupled to the computational device and configured to provide an indication upon receiving a signal from the computational device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pressure detection zones is physically and electrically isolated from one another.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a power source coupled to the multi-layered pad.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layered pad comprises more than two layers.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pressure detection zones comprises a digital switch, each digital switch configured to activate upon an application of pressure above a pre-determined limit P_max to its corresponding pressure detection zone.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein the computational device further comprises a micro-controller unit, the micro-controller unit detecting activation of the digital switch, the digital switch activating upon detecting a pressure above P_max corresponding to its pressure detection zone.

8. The system according to claim 7, the computational device further comprises an actuation timer, the actuation timer calculating a first time period corresponding to a pressure detection zone for which a pressure above P_max is detected.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the computational device sends the signal to the communication device when the pressure applied on a pressure detection zone remains above P_max for the first time period beyond a pre-determined time limit t_max.

10. The system according to claim 2, wherein the computational device further comprises a relief timer, the relief timer starting when the pressure exerted on a pressure detection zone is greater than P_max but falls below P_max before the first time period reaches t_max, and the relief timer calculating a second time period for which the pressure exerted on the pressure detection zone is less than P_max.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the relief timer for the pressure detection is reset when the second time period for the pressure detection zone is greater than a pre-determined time limit t′

_min.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the relief timer for the pressure detection zone is reset, and the actuation timer for the pressure detection zone is started when the second time period for the pressure detection zone is less than t′

_min and the pressure exerted on the pressure detection zone rises above P_max.

13. A system for detecting pressure, the system comprising:

a pad configured to contact a surface of a body;

a plurality of pressure detection zones located on the pad, the plurality of pressure detection zones are configured to detect a pressure exerted by the body onto the pad;

a computational device configured to monitor the plurality of pressure detection zones; and

a communication device coupled to the computational device and configured to provide an indication upon receiving a signal from the computational device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of pressure detection zones is physically and electrically isolated from one another, and comprises a digital switch, each digital switch configured to activate upon an application of pressure above a pre-defined limit P_max to its corresponding pressure detection zone.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the computational device comprises a micro-controller unit, the micro-controller unit detecting activation of the digital switch, the digital switch activating upon detecting a pressure above P_max corresponding to its pressure detection zone.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the computational device further comprises:

an actuation timer, the actuation timer calculating a first time period corresponding to a pressure detection zone for which a pressure above P_max is detected and sending the signal to the communication device when the pressure applied on the pressure detection zone remains above P_max for the first time period beyond a pre-determined time limit t_max; and

a relief timer, the relief timer starting when the pressure exerted on a pressure detection zone is greater than P_max but falls below P_max before the first time period reaches t_max, and the relief timer calculating a second time period for which the pressure exerted on the pressure detection zone is less than P_max.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the pad comprises:

a layer of isolative fabric having a plurality of conductive traces printed on it; and

a plurality of conductive rubber pads attached to the plurality of conductive traces using a conductive adhesive.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the pad further comprises a layer of fabric insulator.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein the pad further comprises a layer of homogenously conductive fabric.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein the pad further comprises a lateral insulator layer.

21. The pad according to claim 17, wherein the adhesive is made of a flexible material and allows now perceptible change in the flexibility of the adhesive at the point of adhesion.

22. The pad according to claim 17, wherein the adhesive allows no perceptible change in flexibility.

23. The pad according to claim 17, wherein said conductive traces printed on the pad providing a plurality of circuit paths.

24. A system for detecting pressure, the system comprising:

a multi-layered pad configured to contact a surface of a body;

a plurality of physically and electrically isolated pressure detection zones located on the multi-layered mat, the plurality of pressure detection zones are configured to detect a pressure above a pre-defined limit P_max exerted by the body onto the multi-layered pad;

a computational device configured to monitor the plurality of pressure detection zones, the computational device comprises a micro-controller unit, the micro-controller unit detecting activation of a digital switch corresponding to a pressure detection zone, the digital switch activating on detecting the pressure to its corresponding pressure detection zone; and

a communication device coupled to the computation device and configured to provide an indication upon receiving a signal from the computational device.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the computational device comprises

an actuation timer, the actuation timer calculating a first time period for which a pressure above P_max is detected and sending the signal to the communication device when the first time period is greater than a pre-determined time limit t_max;

and

a relief timer, the relief timer calculating a second time period for which a pressure below a pre-defined limit P_max is detected.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the multi-layered mat comprises

a first layer of isolative fabric having a plurality of conductive traces printed on its first surface;

a plurality of conductive rubber pads attached to the plurality of conductive traces using a conductive adhesive;

a second layer of fabric insulator located between the plurality of conductive traces and the plurality of conductive rubber pads to prevent electrical shorting;

a third layer of homogenously conductive fabric maintained at a distance from the plurality of conductive rubber pads using a plurality of foam compression spacers, the plurality of foam compression spacers adhered to a second surface of the third layer facing the first surface using an adhesive; and

a fourth layer of lateral insulator located among the plurality of conductive rubber pads to prevent shorting in a lateral direction.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the computational device is in a deep power down state until a pressure actuated event occurs on the at least one general purpose input output lines.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the communication device comprises radio transceiver transmitting alert indication to the alert indicator.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the alert indicator is a charm receiving communication signals from the radio transceiver.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the source of the power comprises a coin cell coupled to, the computational device, the communication device, and the alert indicator.

31. The system of the claim 24, wherein the pad, the computational device, the communication device are integrated in the device, and wherein the alert indicator is integrated in the device or externally.