Connected Surface with Sensors

• US 20140275842A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Beam Ip Lab LLC
• Original Assignee: Beam Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Curry, Alexander D., Frommeyer, Alex X., Dykes, Daniel E.
• Application Number:
  US14/210,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20140275842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4509 Bone density determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A connected surface is provided with various sensors for measuring multiple health statistics including heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, respiration rate, blood pressure, bone density, weight, balance, percent body fat, skin ulcers, stress level, pressure points, electrical heart activity, thermal imaging, and any combination thereof. Further, the connected surface may be comprised in flooring, a bath mat, a weight scale, a dedicated system, or any combination thereof. The connected surface also provides a user identification system utilizing capacitive coupling of the human body and voice feedback based on the user identified. The connected surface is comprised in a system including a data transfer medium (i.e. “smartphone”) and the Cloud, which allows for data transfer between multiple platforms from the connected surface.

Claims

1. A connected surface, comprising:

a surface that is configured to allow a user to stand on said surface;

a data processing unit having at least one collector that is configured to collect data, a storage medium that is configured to store data, and at least one processor that is configured to process data;

a transmitter that is configured to transmit data; and

at least one sensor that is configured to measure at least one health statistic.

2. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein the surface is chosen from the group consisting of flooring, a bath mat, a weight scale, a rug, a dedicated system, and any combination thereof.

3. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is chosen from the group consisting of a universal serial bus, serial port, wired Ethernet port, radio frequency, microwave communication, infrared short-range communication, near field communication, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and any combination thereof.

4. The connected surface of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is further configured to receive data.

5. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one health statistic is chosen from the group consisting of heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, respiration rate, blood pressure, bone density, weight, percent body fat, skin ulcers, stress level, pressure points, electrical heart activity, thermal imaging, skin surface temperature, and any combination thereof.

6. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is an oximetry sensor that is configured to measure at least one health statistic chosen from the group consisting of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, blood flow, and any combination thereof.

7. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is an ultrasonic sensor that is configured to measure bone density.

8. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a weight sensor that is configured to measure at least one health statistic chosen from the group consisting of weight, balance, and any combination thereof.

9. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a thermal imaging sensor that is configured to identify skin ulcers.

10. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a galvanic skin response sensor that is configured to measure the moisture level of skin of the user.

11. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a body fat sensor that is configured to measure percent body fat.

12. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is an electrocardiogram sensor that is configured to measure electrical heart activity.

13. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a pressure point sensor that is configured to identify pressure points created by the user standing on said surface.

14. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is a temperature sensor that is configured to measure skin surface temperature.

15. The connected surface of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is chosen from the group consisting of an oximetry sensor, ultrasonic sensor, weight sensor, thermal imaging sensor, galvanic skin response sensor, body fat sensor, electrocardiogram sensor, pressure point sensor, temperature sensor, and any combination thereof.

16. A connected surface system, comprising:

a connected surface that is configured to act as a base unit having a surface that is configured to allow a user to stand on said surface, a data processing unit that is configured to store and process data and detect touch input from the user, a transmitter that is configured to transmit data, and at least one sensor that is configured to measure at least one health statistic; and

a mobile unit having a data processing unit that is configured to store and process data and communicate with the connected surface via capacitive coupling,

wherein both the connected surface and the mobile unit are in contact with the human body of the user such that the human body acts as a capacitive coupler and is arranged to allow for the transmission of at least one signal.

17. The connected surface system of claim 16, wherein the connected surface further comprises at least one speaker that is electrically coupled to the data processing unit of the connected surface such that the speaker and data processing unit, both of the connected surface, operate in conjunction to generate audible speech related to the user.

18. A connected surface system, comprising:

a connected surface having a surface that is configured to allow a user to stand on said surface, a data processing unit that is configured to store and process data and detect touch input from the user, a transmitter that is configured to transmit data, and at least one sensor that is configured to measure at least one health statistic; and

a cloud computing network having at least one data processing unit that is configured to store and process data and a transceiver that is configured to receive and transmit data.

19. The connected surface system of claim 18, further comprising a data transfer medium having a transceiver that is configured to receive and transmit data, a data processing unit that is configured to store and process data, and a display that is configured to show data.

20. The connected surface system of claim 19, wherein the data transfer medium further comprises a user interface that is configured to facilitate participation in social games such that participation is accomplished passively through data collection of the toothbrush over a period of time.