PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system for predicting or reporting when a patient stands up, comprising:
- a sock adapted to be worn on a foot of the patient, the sock having one or more pressure sensors with conductive threads woven into the sock that change resistance according to pressure applied by the patient'"'"'s foot;
a monitoring device coupled to the sock, the monitoring device having;
a gyroscope sensor adapted to detect changes in the angular velocity of the sock along three separate axes, and an accelerometer adapted to detect changes in acceleration of the sock along the three separate axes;
a memory for storing a patient profile;
wherein the monitoring device is adapted to activate the gyroscope sensor and the pressure sensors when changes in acceleration measured by the accelerometer exceed a predetermined activation threshold maintained in the patient profile;
wherein the monitoring device is configured to calculate a triggering value by combining changes in pressure, angular velocity, and acceleration; and
wherein the monitoring device sends an alert message via a computer network if the triggering value exceeds a predetermined alert threshold maintained by the patient profile; and
an alert computer coupled to the computer network and positioned proximate to a caregiver, the alert computer configured to receive the alert message sent from the monitoring device and communicate the alert message to the caregiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring the movements or other activities of patient. Aspects include a monitoring device with one or more sensors such as a pressure or motion sensors that may be positioned on or near a patient. Alerts may be generated by the monitoring device if the sensor readings fall outside predetermined limits set in a patient profile specific to a particular patient. Sensor readings and/or alerts may be sent by the monitoring device to the central server which may notify nearby caregivers that a patient needs assistance. The server may be configured to analyze sensor readings and alert information to refine patient profiles to reduce or eliminate false alarms.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for predicting or reporting when a patient stands up, comprising:
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a sock adapted to be worn on a foot of the patient, the sock having one or more pressure sensors with conductive threads woven into the sock that change resistance according to pressure applied by the patient'"'"'s foot; a monitoring device coupled to the sock, the monitoring device having; a gyroscope sensor adapted to detect changes in the angular velocity of the sock along three separate axes, and an accelerometer adapted to detect changes in acceleration of the sock along the three separate axes; a memory for storing a patient profile; wherein the monitoring device is adapted to activate the gyroscope sensor and the pressure sensors when changes in acceleration measured by the accelerometer exceed a predetermined activation threshold maintained in the patient profile; wherein the monitoring device is configured to calculate a triggering value by combining changes in pressure, angular velocity, and acceleration; and wherein the monitoring device sends an alert message via a computer network if the triggering value exceeds a predetermined alert threshold maintained by the patient profile; and an alert computer coupled to the computer network and positioned proximate to a caregiver, the alert computer configured to receive the alert message sent from the monitoring device and communicate the alert message to the caregiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of detecting when a patient is about to stand up, comprising:
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detecting changes in acceleration of the patient along three separate axes of movement using an accelerometer in a monitoring device on a sock worn on the patient'"'"'s foot, the accelerometer adapted to detect changes in acceleration of the sock along the three separate axes; activating the monitoring device to process angular velocity and pressure changes from a gyroscope sensor in the measuring device, and at least one pressure sensor in the sock when the changes in acceleration detected by the accelerometer exceed a predetermined activation threshold in a patient profile stored in a memory in the monitoring device, wherein the pressure sensor is woven into the sock; using the monitoring device to obtain data representing changes in pressure, acceleration, and angular velocity of the patient'"'"'s foot; processing the data to combine the pressure, acceleration, and angular velocity data into a combined triggering value; comparing the triggering value to one or more predetermined alert thresholds maintained in the patient profile that determine if the patient is moving, or is about to move, to an erect standing position; and communicating an alert message to a caregiver when the processing output exceeds the predetermined alert thresholds. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification