Personal motion event monitor

• US 5,879,309 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: Mark A. Johnson, Paul J. Cote
• Inventors: Johnson, Mark A., Cote, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Carey E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/919,182
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 600/510, 600/552, 600/553, 600/587
• US Class Current: 600/552
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A motion detection device for monitoring patient movement. The device includes a sensor adapted to generate a voltage from mechanical vibrations and a circuit in operable relationship with the voltage for generating an alarm upon detection of a predetermined signal. The circuit provides a fixed impedance to the sensor. A micro controller is used for analyzing the signal to select from first and second conditions by sensing activity within sequences of preselected time intervals. The first condition represents a medical condition and the second condition represents casual motion. A switch is used for setting a time interval and a total sampling time for the micro controller. An alarm signal generates an alarm upon detection by the microprocessor of a predetermined activity. The preferred sensor comprises a housing having an outer shell and a hollow spherical opening therein. A plurality of inner spherical bodies are adapted to move freely inside the spherical opening to produce detectable mechanical vibration in the outer shell. A piezoelectric film is attached to a portion of the outer shell to generate a voltage from the mechanical vibrations.

Claims

1. A motion detecting device monitoring daytime patient movement, comprising:

a sensor adapted to generate a voltage from mechanical vibrations, comprising;

a housing having an outer shell and a hollow spherical opening therein;

a plurality of inner spherical bodies adapted to move freely inside spherical opening to produce detectable mechanical vibration in said other shell;

a piezoelectric film attached to a portion of said outer shell, said film being adapted to generate said voltage from said mechanical vibrations, and

circuit means in operable relationship with said voltage for generating an alarm upon detection of a predetermined signal, said circuit including impedance means presenting a fixed impedance to said sensor;

a micro controller means for analyzing said signal to select from a first and second condition by sensing activity within sequences of preselected time intervals, said first condition representing a medical condition and second condition representing casual motion;

switch means for setting a time interval and a total sampling time for said micro controller; and

alarm signal generating means for generating an alarm upon detection by said microprocessor of a predetermined activity.

2. The motion detection device of claim 1, wherein said outer shell comprises a pair of cylinders having a hemispherical volume removed therefrom to form said spherical opening.

3. The motion detection device of claim 2, wherein one of said cylinders includes a smooth surface for attachment of said piezoelectric film.

4. The motion detection device of claim 2, wherein one of said cylinders includes a smooth surface for attachment of said piezoelectric film.

5. The motion detection device of claim 1, which further includes nighttime detection means including a switch to selectively activate a radio transmitter to transmit said alarm signal and a remote compatible receiver for receiving said transmitted signal to activate an alarm means.

6. The motion detection device of claim 5, which further includes a reset means for resetting said device to an operable condition after activation of said alarm.

7. The motion detection device of claim 1, which further includes a reset means for resetting said device to an operable condition after activation of said alarm.