System and method for associating an absorbent article with a user

• US 8,196,809 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Inventors: Thorstensson, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US12/593,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/492, 235/493, 235/486, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A system for associating a particular absorbent article with the identity and/or the location of a user of the absorbent article, includes an absorbent article, and machine-readable information concerning the identity and/or the location of a user of the absorbent article. The system includes machine-readable information identifying the absorbent article and a reader to read the information identifying the absorbent article and the information concerning the identity and/or the location of a user of the absorbent article. The system also includes a memory that is arranged to store information identifying the absorbent article and information concerning the identity and/or the location of a user of the absorbent article in a form such that on retrieval of information from the memory, information concerning the absorbent article is automatically associated with information concerning the identity and/or location of a user of the absorbent article.

Claims

1. A system for associating an absorbent article with at least one of the identity and the location of a user of said absorbent article, comprising:

an absorbent article,

machine-readable information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of a user of the absorbent article, wherein

the system comprises machine-readable information identifying the absorbent article,

a reader to read the information identifying the absorbent article and the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user of the absorbent article,

a memory that is arranged to store the information identifying the absorbent article and the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user of the absorbent article in a form such that on retrieval of information from the memory, the information concerning the absorbent article is automatically associated with the information concerning at least one of the identity and location of the user of the absorbent article;

wherein the system comprises means for associating the status indication from the machine-readable sensor with the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user of the absorbent article or the information identifying the absorbent article; and

a processor arranged to notify a caregiver of a status of the absorbent article including the at least one of the identity and location of the user of the absorbent article.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent article comprises a machine-readable sensor that is arranged to determine and indicate the status of at least a region of the absorbent article.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is arranged to communicate via radio frequency communication.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is integrally formed with the absorbent article.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor is a wetness detecting sensor.

6. The system according to claim 2, comprising means for indicating that the status of the absorbent article has changed.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user is arranged to be located in the vicinity of the user of said absorbent article or to be attached to the user of said absorbent article, independently of said absorbent article.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the information concerning the identity or location of the user is arranged by means of a wristband.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user is contained in an optically readable code.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the optically readable code is a bar code, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a magnetic strip, optical characters or a smart card.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning the identification of the absorbent article is contained in an optically readable code.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the optically readable code is a bar code, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a magnetic strip, optical characters or a smart card.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises data storage means arranged to record data concerning the user of said absorbent article.

14. The system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said absorbent articles.

15. A method for associating information identifying an absorbent article with information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of a user of said absorbent article, comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining information identifying the absorbent article,

b) obtaining information concerning at least one of the identification and the location of a user of the absorbent article, and

c) storing said information identifying the absorbent article and said information concerning at least one of the identification and the location of the user of the absorbent article in a memory in a form such that on retrieval of information from the memory, the information concerning the absorbent article is automatically associated with the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user of the absorbent article;

providing the absorbent article with a machine-readable sensor that is arranged to determine and indicate the status of at least a region of the absorbent article and associating the status indication from the machine-readable sensor with the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user of the absorbent article or the information identifying the absorbent article; and

notifying a caregiver of a status of the absorbent article including the at least one of the identity and location of the user of the absorbent article.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein steps a) and b) of the method are carried out when the absorbent article is put on the user.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is arranged to communicate via radio frequency communication.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is integrally formed with the absorbent article.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is a wetness detecting sensor.

20. The method according to claim 15, comprising a step of indicating that the status of the absorbent article has changed.

21. The method according to claim 15, comprising a step of locating the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of the user in the vicinity of the user of said absorbent article or attaching said information to the user of said absorbent article, independently of said absorbent article.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the information concerning at least one of the identity and location of the user is arranged by means of a wristband.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of a user is contained in an optically readable code.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the optically readable code is a bar code, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a magnetic strip, optical characters or a smart card.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein the information concerning the identification of the absorbent article is contained in an optically readable code.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the information concerning the at least one of identity and location of the user is arranged by means of a wristband.

27. The method according to claim 15, comprising a step of recording data concerning the user of the absorbent article.

28. The method according to claim 15, comprising a step of associating information identifying a plurality of absorbent articles with information concerning at least one of the identity and the location of users of said plurality of absorbent articles.

29. A non-transitionary computer program product, comprising a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the steps of the method according to claim 15, stored on a computer-readable medium.