INCONTINENCE MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

• US 20120268278A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fred Bergman Healthcare Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fred Bergman Healthcare Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Lewis, Philippa Mary, Carey, Karen Maree, Cottenden, Alan Michael, Barda, David Albert, Curran, Peter, Black, Don
• Granted Patent: US 9,283,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/207 Sensing devices adapted to collect urine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/208 adapted to determine urine quantity, e.g. flow, volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/424 having an electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects comprises display means; input means operable by a user; one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored; the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters; and processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored. The system may include a volume estimator and means for communicating to a carer a ‘risk of wetness leakage’ based on e.g. an estimated volume of wetness and e.g. a pad type. Pad type may be communicated to the system automatically by way of a pad type indicator associated with the pad and/or pad/sensor combination.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects, the system comprising:

a. a display means;

b. input means operable by a user;

c. one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored;

the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; and

d. a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters;

e. processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means includes a volume estimator configured to apply the continence-related data to a pre-determined mathematical model to estimate a volume of wetness in the absorbent article, and wherein the volume estimator is configured to perform one or more of:

a. estimating cumulative wetness volume in the absorbent article;

b. estimating a volume of an individual wetness event in the absorbent article; and

c. categorising a volume estimate as one or more of small, medium, large, damp, wet and soaked.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is configured to perform one or more of the following:

a. receive automatically a pad type indicator for an absorbent article worn by a subject and, based on the pad type indicator and continence-related data collected during wearing of said absorbent article by said subject, calculate a risk of wetness leakage from the absorbent article;

b. receive automatically, a sensor status indicator which indicates whether a sensor, or absorbent article associated with a sensor, is newly connected to the system or re-connected to the system.

6. A system according to of claim 3, wherein the pad type indicator is determined by reference to a characteristic of an identifier circuit associated with the continence sensor, and wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

resistance, impedance, capacitance, inductance, a resonant frequency or a carrier frequency associated with the identifier circuit or a potential difference or current value measurable from the identifier circuit.

9. A system according to claim 6 wherein the pad type is determined by reference to a resistance value in the identifier circuit, wherein a designated pad type is associated with a designated resistance value.

11. A system according to claim 3 wherein the sensor status is determined by reference to a characteristic of a sensor status circuit on the absorbent article, the characteristic being determined by reference of one or more elements incorporated into the sensor status circuit, said elements selected from a group consisting of:

a. capacitors;

b. expirable components;

c. contactless devices;

d. read only memory devices; and

e. programmable memory devices.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor status circuit is configured to identify automatically a type of sensor with which it is associated, wherein

a. a designated sensor type is associated with a designated capacitor value;

or

b. the sensor status circuit includes a fuse; and

the sensor status is determined to be newly connected to the system when the fuse is initially closed.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the visual representation shows diagrammatically on a time scale at least one of:

a. one or more estimated void volumes in the absorbent article of a subject being monitored; and

b. the occurrence of one or more non-wetness events specific to the subject being monitored.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein the display means provides a risk of wetness leakage indicator for an absorbent article worn by a subject being monitored.

20. A system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more transmitters is configured to transmit data to the processing means identifying points in time for which non-wetness event data is required, and optionally wherein the processing means is configured to cause a visible and/or audible and/or haptic reminder to be presented to a user, prompting the user to enter the required non-wetness event data using the input means.

27. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is configurable to receive input from a particular sensor type by, for a configuration period:

a. collecting continence data from a sensor of the particular sensor type associated with an absorbent article worn by a subject; and

b. collecting non-wetness event data pertaining to the subject; and

c. using the collected non-wetness event data and sensor data to optimise a mathematical model executed by the processing means for monitoring incontinence in a subject

wherein the optimised model is used to monitor incontinence in a subject wearing an absorbent article with a sensor of the particular sensor type.

29. A system according to claim 1, further including a waste receptacle fitted with a scale, wherein the scale determines a mass of a soiled absorbent article placed in the waste receptacle, and optionally, wherein the receptacle includes pad type identifying means for identifying a pad type for which the mass is determined by the scale.

31. A system according to claim 29 wherein the pad type identifying means uses one or more of the following to determine pad type:

a. a pad type indicator circuit associated with a sensor on the absorbent article;

b. scanning means scanning a barcode on a surface of the absorbent article;

c. a pad type receiver receiving a pad type signal from a contactless transmitter on the pad;

d. a sequence of events where disconnection of the pad from the transmitter is followed by deposition of the pad into the receptacle; and

e. manual entry of a pad type identifier.

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39. A sensor for detecting wetness events in an absorbent article, the sensor including an identifier circuit for automatic identification of one or both of:

a. a pad type associated with the absorbent article; and

b. a sensor status.

40. A sensor according to claim 39 wherein the identifier circuit facilitates identification of a particular pad type by reference to a characteristic of the identifier circuit selected from the group including:

resistance, impedance, capacitance, inductance, a resonant frequency or a carrier frequency, a potential difference, a current value or electromagnetic field strength measurable from the identifier circuit.

41. A sensor according to claim 39, wherein the identifier circuit is exists in parallel with a sensing circuit.

42. A sensor according to claim 39, wherein the identifier circuit indicates the pad type by reference to a resistance value in the identifier circuit, wherein a designated pad type is associated with a designated resistance value.

43. A sensor according to claim 39, wherein the identifier circuit facilitates determination of a sensor status as one of:

a. newly connected;

or

b. re-connected.

44. A sensor according to claim 43, wherein the sensor status is determined by reference to a characteristic of one or more elements incorporated into the identifier circuit, said elements selected from a group consisting of:

a. capacitors;

b. expirable components;

c. contactless devices;

d. read only memory devices; and

e. programmable memory devices.

45. A sensor according to claim 43, wherein the identifier circuit includes a capacitor, and the sensor status is determined to be newly connected when the capacitor is uncharged and optionally, wherein the capacitor value further designates one or both of pad type and sensor type.

47. A sensor according to claim 43, wherein the identifier circuit includes a fuse, and the sensor status is determined to be unused when the fuse is closed.

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48. A method for monitoring incontinence in a subject wearing an absorbent article containing a wetness sensor coupled to a transmitter, the method including the steps of:

a. transmitting from the transmitter continence-related data to a processor;

b. estimating a volume of wetness in the absorbent article; and

c. the processor communicating display information to a display means for display of a visual representation of estimated wetness volume with respect to time.

49. A method according to claim 48 including the step of operating an input means to provide to the processor time-marked non-wetness event data and causing the processor to include on the visual representation the time location of one or more non-wetness events for a subject being monitored.

50. A method according to claim 48, including the step of receiving a pad type indicator for an absorbent article and calculating a risk of wetness leakage from an absorbent article based on an the estimate of volume of wetness in the absorbent article and the pad type of the absorbent article.

51. A method according to claim 50 including the step of providing a visual representation on the display means which is indicative of the calculated risk of wetness leakage.

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