Attitude indicator and activity monitoring device

• US 6,611,783 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald W. Schoendorfer, Jeffrey L. Simmons, Noc.Watch International, Inc., Paul B. Kelly Jr
• Original Assignee: Nocwatch, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Paul B. Jr., Schoendorfer, Donald W., Simmons, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Paul L
• Application Number:
  US09/755,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702/151, 702/193, 340/573.1, 600/412
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

An attitude indicator device for detecting, indicating, and/or logging the positional attitude of an individual in response to deviation from a set of one or more reference angles. By way of example and not of limitation, the device is mounted on the thigh of a patient and measurements are taken from an acceleration sensor within the device. The acceleration measurements are communicated to a receiver when the measurements deviate from acceptable thresholds, whereby the receiver indicates an alert condition. The device may be employed within numerous medical related applications, for example, to facilitate preventing patient egress and the prevention/detection of patient falls.

Claims

1. An appliance adapted to be adhered to the thigh of a user to send a signal indicating that a femur of the user is approaching a vertical position, comprising;

a non-toxic disposable patch having a human-skin-compatible adhesive surface that may be adhered to a thigh of the user;

a multiple axis accelerometer disposed within said patch and configured to generate output signals that are a function of orientation and acceleration of said patch;

a control circuit disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said acclerometer, said control circuit configured to process said output signals to dampen spurious transient responses and configured to generate an alert signal when said output signal indicates that said orientation exceeds a threshold downward angle;

a transmitter disposed within said patch and coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter configured to transmit to a remote receiver a signal representing said alert signal;

a power source disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter, and said multiple axis accelerometer;

at least one sensor disposed inside said patch to sense that the patch has been removed from a user, said at least one sensor operably connected to said control circuit, and wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to a remote receiver a patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch has been removed from a user;

wherein said at least one sensor comprises;

a first temperature sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to said adhesive surface to allow thermal coupling to a user, said first temperature sensor operably connected to said control circuit;

a second temperature sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to a surface opposite said adhesive surface, said second temperature sensor operably connected to said control circuit; and

wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to said remote receiver said patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch is no longer thermally coupled to a user when a difference in temperature sensed by said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor falls below a threshold value.

2. An appliance adapted to be adhered to the thigh of a user to send a signal indicating that a femur of the user is approaching a vertical position, comprising:

a non-toxic disposable patch having a human-skin-compatible adhesive surface that may be adhered to a thigh of the user;

a multiple axis accelerometer disposed within said patch and configured to generate output signals that are a function of orientation and acceleration of said patch;

a control circuit disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said accelerometer, said control circuit processing said output signals to dampen spurious transient responses and to generate an alert signal when said output signal indicates that said orientation exceeds a threshold downward angle;

a transmitter disposed within said patch and coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter configured to transmit to a remote receiver a signal representing said alert signal;

a power source disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter, and said multiple axis accelerometer;

at least one sensor disposed inside said patch to sense that the patch has been removed from a user, said at least one sensor operably connected to said control circuit, and wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to a remote receiver a patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch has been removed from a user;

wherein said at least one sensor comprises;

a first humidity sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to said adhesive surface, said first humidity sensor operably connected to said control circuit;

a second humidity sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to a surface opposite said adhesive surface, said second humidity sensor operably connected to said control circuit; and

wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to said remote receiver said patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch is no longer coupled to a user when a difference in humidity sensed by said first humidity sensor and said second humidity sensor falls below a threshold value.