METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING URINE AND/OR FECES

• US 20150330958A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Inventors: CARNEY, Joshua, JOHANSSON, Pr, JNSSON, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 9,927,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/424 having an electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0001 by organoleptic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0073 Control unit therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/493 urine

Abstract

A method of detecting urine and/or feces is disclosed, which includes detecting the concentration of at least one gas component indicative of urine and the concentration of at least one gas component indicative of feces. The method also includes registering, for each gas component, a characteristic corresponding to the variation over time of the concentration of each gas component; comparing the registered characteristic with a predetermined characteristic for the corresponding gas component; indicating a presence of urine if the registered characteristic of at least one gas component indicative of urine generally conforms with the predetermined characteristic of the same gas component; and indicating a presence of feces if the registered characteristic of at least one gas component indicative of feces generally conforms to the predetermined characteristic of the same gas component. A system for detecting urine and/or feces is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of detecting urine and/or feces comprising:

detecting the concentration of at least one gas component indicative of urine and the concentration of at least one gas component indicative of feces;

characterized in that it comprises;

registering, for each gas component, a characteristic (10, 11) corresponding to the variation over time of the concentration of each gas component;

comparing said registered characteristic (10, 11) with a predetermined characteristic (12, 13) for the corresponding gas component;

indicating a presence of urine if the registered characteristic of at least one gas component indicative of urine generally conforms with the predetermined characteristic of the same gas component; and

indicating a presence of feces if the registered characteristic (10, 11) of at least one gas component indicative of feces generally conforms to the predetermined characteristic (12, 13) of the same gas component.

2. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined characteristic (12, 13) varies over time and the registered characteristic (10, 11) is determined to conform to the predetermined characteristic (12, 13) if the registered characteristic (10, 11) follows the variation over time of the predetermined characteristic (12, 13).

3. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the indication of any presence of urine and feces, respectively, comprises determining whether the concentration of any of said gas components exceeds at least one predetermined limit value (c1) during a predetermined period of time (t1).

4. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the indication of any presence of urine and feces, respectively, comprises determining whether a derivative of the registered characteristic (10, 11) during a predetermined period of time generally conforms to a corresponding expected derivative of the predetermined characteristic (12, 13).

5. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises:

detecting the concentration of at least two gas components indicative of feces;

for each gas component indicative of feces, registering a separate characteristic (10, 11) corresponding to the variation over time of the gas component concentration;

combining the registered separate characteristics (10, 11);

comparing a combination of the registered characteristics (10, 11) with a predetermined combination of characteristics;

indicating a presence of urine and/or feces if the combined registered characteristics generally conforms with the predetermined combined characteristics.

6. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises:

assigning a weight value for each of said separate registered characteristics (10, 11) before combining the characteristics.

7. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the gas component indicative of feces is chosen from a group comprising hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide and an organic compound gas.

8. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the gas component indicative of urine is ammonia gas.

9. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises:

providing a sensor unit (1), comprising gas sensors (3, 4) for detecting each of said gas components, and

transmitting information regarding detection of said gas components from said sensor unit (1) to a receiver unit (6).

10. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises:

presenting visual or aural information in said receiving unit (6) as to whether urine and/or feces have been detected.

11. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it comprises forwarding said information to a remote server unit (7).

12. A method of detecting urine and/or feces according to any of claims 9 to 11 characterized in that it comprises:

arranging said sensor unit (1) in a close vicinity of a sanitary product (2), such as a diaper or incontinence pad, or a wearer of said sanitary product.

13. A system for detecting urine and/or feces, comprising:

a sensor unit (1) comprising at least one gas sensor (4) for detecting the concentration of a gas component indicative of urine and at least one gas sensor for detecting the concentration of a gas component indicative of feces (3), and

a receiving unit (6) connectable to the sensor unit (1) and arranged for providing an indication of any presence or urine and/or feces based on information from said gas sensors (3, 4);

characterized in that, said receiving unit (6) is arranged for registering, based on said detected concentration for each gas component, a characteristic corresponding to the variation over time of the concentration of said gas component, and comparing said characteristic with a predetermined characteristic indicative of urine and feces, respectively.

14. A system for detecting urine and feces according to claim 16, characterized in that the receiving unit (6) comprises an indicator for providing visual or aural information as to whether urine and/or feces have been detected.

15. A system for detecting urine and feces according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said receiving unit (6) is a mobile unit such as a mobile telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop or similar.

16. A system for detecting urine and feces according to any one of claims 13-15, characterized in that it comprises a remote server unit (7) connectable to said receiving unit (6) and for storing information from said gas sensors (3, 4).