MOUTH GUARD WITH SENSOR

• US 20110184319A1
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Prevent Biometrics, Seige As A Collateral Agent Christopher, X2Impact, Inc.
• Original Assignee: X2Impact, Inc.
• Inventors: Able, Richard T., McCann, Jed, Vallidis, Nick, Doughty, Christopher B., Mack, Christoph, Snook, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/009,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20110184319A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/085 Mouth or teeth protectors A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload

Abstract

A mouth guard having a proximity sensor, an impact sensor, a processor in signal communication with the sensor, a memory in data communication with the processor, a transmitter in signal communication with the processor, and a battery. The processor is configured to allow data transmission the mouth guard has been inserted into a mouth. The processor is also configured to instruct the transmitter to transmit a signal if an impact above a predefined first threshold is sensed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mouth guard defining a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth within a mouth of a user;

a first sensor attached to the mouth guard for detecting whether the mouth guard has been inserted into the mouth; and

a second sensor attached to the mouth guard, the second sensor being configured to detect movement of the mouth guard.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a memory integrated into the mouth guard, the processor being in signal communication with the first sensor and the second sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a transmitter integrated into the mouth guard, the processor being configured to cause the transmitter to transmit a first signal in response to a detected movement of the mouth guard by the second sensor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, the processor, the memory, and the transmitter are located between a first layer and a second layer of ethyl vinyl acetate forming the mouth guard.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a helmet and a repeater attached to the helmet, wherein the repeater transmits a second signal based on the first signal.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a helmet, wherein the helmet comprises a processor, a memory, and a transmitter are attached to the helmet, the processor being configured to cause the transmitter to transmit a first signal in response to a detected movement of the mouth guard by the second sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a proximity sensor integrated in the mouth guard, the mouth guard further having a processor and a battery integrated into the mouth guard, the proximity sensor being in signal communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to allow power from a battery to flow to the second sensor when the proximity sensor detects that the mouth guard has been inserted into the mouth.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to save information in the memory corresponding to movement detected by the second sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second sensor comprises an accelerometer and the detected movement comprises detected acceleration of the mouth guard, and further wherein the information includes the detected acceleration.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a transmitter integrated into the mouth guard, the processor being configured to determine whether the detected acceleration is above a threshold and to cause the transmitter to transmit a signal when the detected acceleration is above the threshold.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a positional orientation sensor attached to the mouth guard.

12. A method comprising:

providing a mouth guard, the mouth guard having a movement sensor attached to the mouth guard;

sensing a movement of the mouth guard with the sensor;

determining, using a processor and a memory, whether the movement exceeds a first threshold; and

transmitting a first signal when the movement exceeds the first threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the movement sensor comprises an accelerometer and the step of sensing comprises sensing an acceleration of the mouth guard, and further wherein the step of determining comprises determining a period of time during which the acceleration exceeds the first threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first signal comprises an indication of a magnitude and a duration of the acceleration.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising sensing whether the mouth guard is inserted into a mouth.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the first signal includes transmitting a unique identifier associated with the mouth guard.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a time synchronization signal after the first signal has been transmitted.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising checking whether a transmission slot is clear before transmitting the first signal.