Ambulatory body position monitor
First Claim
1. An ambulatory body position monitor that is located at a measurement site on a user whose position is to be monitored, comprising:
- a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor,a programmable control unit that receives as input the output from the sensor and has the capability to sufficiently interpret said input so as to determine the position and extent of motion with respect to gravity of the measurement site at which said sensor is located on its user'"'"'s body,a storage device, operable by said control unit, that stores time-stamped, data regarding the user'"'"'s body position,an interface device, operable by said control unit, that has the capability of transferring said stored data to an external computer,a display unit, operable by said control unit, that visually communicates information regarding the user'"'"'s body position,wherein, for monitoring subjects with sleepwalking and other sleep disorders and for which it is necessary to distinguish between the user'"'"'s positions of sitting, walking or standing, a first monitor is situated on the user'"'"'s chest and a second monitor is situated at a location chosen from among the group consisting of locations on the thigh and the ankle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for monitoring and recording the position and extent of motion of the body of a human or a lower animal. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it comprises: (1) a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor, (2) a programmable control unit that receives as input the output from the sensor and has the capability to sufficiently interpret said input so as to determine the position and related movements with respect to gravity of the measurement site at which said sensor is located on its user'"'"'s body, (3) a storage device, operable by said control unit, that stores time-stamped, data regarding the user'"'"'s body position and related movements, and (4) an interface device that has the capability of transferring the stored data to an external computer. The present invention for ambulatory recording eliminates the requirement that such monitors be connected through cables to external data storage and processing devices, thereby often effectively dictating that such monitoring activities be conducted in clinical laboratories.
244 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An ambulatory body position monitor that is located at a measurement site on a user whose position is to be monitored, comprising:
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a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor, a programmable control unit that receives as input the output from the sensor and has the capability to sufficiently interpret said input so as to determine the position and extent of motion with respect to gravity of the measurement site at which said sensor is located on its user'"'"'s body, a storage device, operable by said control unit, that stores time-stamped, data regarding the user'"'"'s body position, an interface device, operable by said control unit, that has the capability of transferring said stored data to an external computer, a display unit, operable by said control unit, that visually communicates information regarding the user'"'"'s body position, wherein, for monitoring subjects with sleepwalking and other sleep disorders and for which it is necessary to distinguish between the user'"'"'s positions of sitting, walking or standing, a first monitor is situated on the user'"'"'s chest and a second monitor is situated at a location chosen from among the group consisting of locations on the thigh and the ankle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An ambulatory body position monitor that is located at a measurement site on a user whose position is to be monitored, comprising:
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a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor, a programmable control unit that receives as input the output from the sensor and has the capability to sufficiently interpret said input so as to determine the position with respect to gravity of the measurement site at which said sensor is located on its user'"'"'s body, an alarm unit with audio output device, operable by said control unit, that can generate an audible alarm signal in response to a set body position being detected by said sensor, a selection input device, connected to said control unit, for setting the desired operating parameters of said monitor, including the capability to disarm said alarm unit, and a radio frequency transmitter, connected to said control unit, for signaling a remote, wireless receiver to sound an alarm at said remote location.
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7. An ambulatory body position monitor that is located at a measurement site on a user whose position is to be monitored, comprising:
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a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor, a programmable control unit that receives as input the output from the sensor and has the capability to sufficiently interpret said input so as to determine the position with respect to gravity of the measurement site at which said sensor is located on its user'"'"'s body, an alarm unit with audio output device, operable by said control unit, that can generate an audible alarm signal in response to a set body position being detected by said sensor, a selection input device, connected to said control unit, for setting the desired operating parameters of said monitor, including the capability to disarm said alarm unit, and a radio frequency transmitter, connected to said control unit, for signaling a wireless receiver, that is situated at a first remote location, to dial a telephone to announce at a second remote location the alarm condition.
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8. A method for monitoring and recording the position of the body of a fully ambulatory subject, comprising the steps of:
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locating a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor on a selected measurement site of the subject, generating, by using inherent contact of the mercury with electrode posts within said sensor, sensor output data that quantifies the position with respect to gravity of said measurement site, generating, by using inherent splashing of the mercury in said sensor, sensor output data that quantifies motion activity with respect to gravity of said measurement site, calibrating sensor output data so as to distinguish between and define selected positions of interest of the measurement site, sampling sensor output data at prescribed time intervals, using said sensor calibration, associating with each data sample a determination of which of the defined positions is in existence at the measurement site at the time of the data sample, sounding an audible alarm signal in response to a set body position being detected by said sensor, and using a radio frequency transmitter to signal a remote, wireless receiver so that said alarm is sounded at a remote location.
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9. A method for monitoring and recording the position of the body of a fully ambulatory subject, comprising the steps of:
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locating a three-dimensional-position monitoring, mercury sensor on a selected measurement site of the subject, generating, by using inherent contact of the mercury with electrode posts within said sensor, sensor output data that quantifies the position with respect to gravity of said measurement site, generating, by using inherent splashing of the mercury in said sensor, sensor output data that quantifies motion activity with respect to gravity of said measurement site, calibrating sensor output data so as to distinguish between and define selected positions of interest of the measurement site, sampling sensor output data at prescribed time intervals, using said sensor calibration, associating with each data sample a determination of which of the defined positions is in existence at the measurement site at the time of the data sample, sounding an audible alarm signal in response to a set body position being detected by said sensor, and using a radio frequency transmitter to signal a remote, wireless receiver, that is situated at a first remote location, to dial a telephone to announce at a second remote location the alarm condition.
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Specification