SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING BODILY IMPACT EVENTS

• US 20150109129A1
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brain Sentry Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Brain Sentry Incorporated
• Inventors: Merril, Gregory L., Cohen, Robert F., Lipovsky, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/517,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150109129A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0438 Sensor means for detecting

Abstract

A system for detecting head impacts comprises a sensor for detecting acceleration and providing a signal representative of applied impacts, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive data from the acceleration sensor and determine whether a magnitude of an impact exceeds a threshold. In response to a magnitude of an impact exceeding the threshold, the system displays a cumulative report of impacts exceeding the threshold.

Claims

1. A system for detecting head impacts comprising:

a device including;

a sensor for detecting acceleration of the device and producing a signal indicating an impact;

a display for displaying at least one character; and

a processor configured to;

receive data from the sensor and determine a count of one or more impacts exceeding at least one predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is attached to a selected one of a helmet, cap, eyewear, and headband.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is integrated into a selected one of a helmet, cap and headband.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one motion sensor to activate the device from a low power mode.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the motion sensor turns on the device after the device has been turned off.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising persistent memory storage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode (LED) light, wherein the processor is further configured to turn the light on in response to at least one impact exceeding a predetermined threshold.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide an indication in response to the count exceeding a predetermined threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a magnitude for each of a plurality of impacts in response to receiving a corresponding signal from the sensor;

determine a modified set of magnitudes for a plurality of impacts, including one or more previous impacts by, reducing the magnitude for at least one of the previous impacts according to an elapsed time; and

determine an impact dose by summing each element of the modified set of magnitudes.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display the impact dose on the display in response to an applied impact.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display an indication of the impact dose at regular time intervals.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises a blinking sequence of lights.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the device includes a light, and the processor is further configured to enable the light to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the device includes a sound generator, and the processor is further configured to enable the sound generator to generate a sound to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the device includes a tactile output generator, and the processor is further configured to enable the tactile output generator to generate a tactile output to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the device includes a wireless transmitter, and the processor is further configured to transmit an alert to a receiver via the wireless transmitter in response to an impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the device further indicates an alert by a selected one of a tactile, audible, and wireless response.

19. A method for detecting head impacts comprising:

receiving data from a sensor for detecting acceleration and producing a signal indicating an impact;

determining a count of one or more impacts exceeding at least one predetermined threshold; and

displaying information about a least one of the one or more impacts on a character display.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a device comprising the sensor and display is attached to a selected one of a helmet, cap, eyewear, and headband.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the device is integrated into a selected one of a helmet, cap and headband.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising activating the device from a low power mode in response to detecting motion of the device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising turning the device on in response to detecting motion of the device after the device has been turned off.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing information about a least one of the one or more impacts in a persistent memory storage.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

turning on a light emitting diode (LED) in response to at least one impact exceeding a predetermined threshold.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing an indication in response to the count exceeding a predetermined threshold.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a magnitude for each of a plurality of impacts in response to receiving a corresponding signal from the sensor;

determining a modified set of magnitudes for a plurality of impacts, including one or more previous impacts by, reducing the magnitude for at least one of the previous impacts according to an elapsed time; and

determining an impact dose by summing each element of the modified set of magnitudes.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

displaying the impact dose on the display in response to an applied impact.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

displaying an indication of the impact dose at regular time intervals.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the indication comprises a blinking sequence of lights.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

enabling a light to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

generating a sound to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

generating a tactile output to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

transmitting an alert to a receiver via a wireless transmitter in response to an impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

indicating the alert by a selected one of a tactile, audible, and wireless transmission response.