Self-powered vibration sensor

• US 7,927,292 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hlndenburg; Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/683,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/587, 600/595, 600/483, 600/484, 702/187, 702/189, 702/190, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 324/432, 607/40, 128/920, 128/905, 128/921
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for monitoring vibration using a self-powered vibration sensor, a programmable interactive device, and a remote server. The self-powered sensor is capable of transforming vibrations into equivalent RF pulses, which are recorded and manipulated by the programmable interactive device. The programmable interactive device communicates the RF pulses to the remote server for further analysis, processing, and feedback. These interactions result in an objective monitoring of the vibration, which provides corrective feedback for beneficial transformation of behavior. The corrective feedback may be provided on a programmable interactive device such as a mobile phone, PDA, etc.

Claims

1. An automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system comprising:

a self-powered vibration sensor that detects vibrations of a user, produces a plurality of radio frequency (RF) pulses at a rate that is directly proportional to the detected vibration, and transmits said RF pulses, wherein said self-powered vibration sensor comprises a non-battery component comprising an accelerometer that detects vibration and converts the detected vibration into equivalent electric current, wherein said vibration comprises of acceleration and motion across three coordinate axes;

a programmable interactive device in wireless communication with said self-powered vibration sensor, wherein said programmable interactive device receives said RF pulses from said vibration sensor and converts said RF pulses into meaningful information, wherein said meaningful information is associated with energy consumed by said user based on a user profile that is periodically modified; and

a server that is remotely linked to said programmable interactive device, wherein said server comprises computer applications that receive said meaningful information from said programmable interactive device and provide feedback to said programmable interactive device based on said meaningful information, wherein said programmable interactive device is calibrated to build said user profile based on user interactive calibration sessions, and wherein said calibration sessions are programmed in said programmable interactive device to compare said RF pulses with reference data obtained from a known reference caloric measurement device.

2. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is adapted to be worn by said user.

3. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is adapted to be implanted in said user.

4. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said server analyzes and processes said meaningful information.

5. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said feedback is in the form of text.

6. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said programmable interactive device interacts simultaneously with a plurality of said sensors.

7. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said sensors are integrated to form a network of sensor devices.

8. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, wherein said accelerometer comprises a tri-axial accelerometer.

9. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 1, further comprising:

an energy storage device operatively connected to said accelerometer, wherein said energy storage device stores said electric current;

a RF transmitter operatively connected to said energy storage device and said accelerometer; and

a discharging element operatively connected to said energy storage device, said accelerometer, and said RF transmitter, wherein said discharging element comprises any of a gate and a timer.

10. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 9, wherein said energy storage device comprises a threshold value, wherein said energy storage device, upon reaching said threshold value, starts discharging electric current to said RF transmitter through said discharging element.

11. The automatic vibration monitoring and feedback system of claim 9, wherein said energy storage device comprises a capacitor, and wherein said timer determines an interval to sample, amplify and transmit said stored electric current to said RF transmitter.

12. A self-powered vibration sensor comprising:

a non-battery electromechanical component comprising an accelerometer that detects vibration and converts the detected vibration into electric current;

an energy storage device operatively connected to said accelerometer, wherein said energy storage device stores said electric current;

a discharging element directly connected to said energy storage device, wherein said discharging element determines a time period for discharging said electric current, and wherein said discharging element comprises any of a gate and a timer; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter operatively connected to said discharging element, wherein said RF transmitter converts said electric current into RF pulses at a rate directly proportional to said electric current, wherein said sensor recharges a chargeable device operatively connected to said sensor.

13. The self-powered vibration sensor of claim 12, wherein said energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

14. The self-powered vibration sensor of claim 12, wherein said sensor is implanted in a user.

15. The self-powered vibration sensor of claim 12, wherein said sensor is adapted to be worn by a user.

16. The self-powered vibration sensor of claim 12, wherein said accelerometer comprises a tri-axial accelerometer.

17. The self-powered vibration sensor of claim 12, wherein said energy storage device comprises a threshold value, wherein said energy storage device, upon reaching said threshold value, starts discharging electric current to said RF transmitter through said discharging element.

18. A method for automatic vibration monitoring and feedback, said method comprising:

detecting vibration of a user by a sensor that comprises a non-battery component comprising an accelerometer that detects vibration and converts the detected vibration into equivalent electric current, wherein said vibration comprises of acceleration and motion across three coordinate axes;

wirelessly communicating, from said sensor, raw data directly proportional to the detected vibration to a programmable interactive device;

processing said raw data to provide meaningful information, wherein said meaningful information is associated with energy consumed by a user based on a user profile that is periodically modified;

communicating said meaningful information to a server comprising computer applications, wherein said server is remotely linked to said programmable interactive device; and

receiving, in said programmable interactive device, feedback in the form of multimedia from said server based on said meaningful information,

wherein said programmable interactive device is calibrated to build said user profile based on user interactive calibration sessions, and

wherein said calibration sessions periodically update said user profile and are programmed in said programmable interactive device to compare said raw data with reference data obtained from a known reference caloric measurement device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said raw data comprises radio frequency (RF) pulses that are produced at a rate proportional to said detected vibration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said programmable interactive device counts a number of RF pulses.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said server analyzes and processes said meaningful information.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said server provides feedback and reports to said programmable interactive device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the report provides information on any of caloric burn, caloric intake, and activity duration of said user.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said accelerometer comprises a tri-axial accelerometer.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

operatively connecting an energy storage device to said accelerometer, wherein said energy storage device stores said electric current;

operatively connecting a RF transmitter to said energy storage device and said accelerometer; and

operatively connecting a discharging element to said energy storage device, said accelerometer, and said RF transmitter, wherein said discharging element comprises any of a gate and a timer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said energy storage device comprises a threshold value, wherein said energy storage device, upon reaching said threshold value, starts discharging electric current to said RF transmitter through said discharging element.