Systems and methods for controlling position

• US 8,783,264 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Brain Monitoring
• Original Assignee: Advanced Brain Monitoring
• Inventors: Levendowski, Daniel J., Zavora, Timothy, Westbrook, Philip R., Mitrovic, Mirko, Veljkovic, Bratislav, Berka, Chris, Trejo, Jonny
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, KERI JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US12/794,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20110132378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 128/845, 128/848, 128/871, 600/301, 600/529, 600/587
• US Class Current: 128/871
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 : by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0083 : especially for waking up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 : for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 : Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 : sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 : User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 : by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 : by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 : on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 : Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 : of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 : External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36031 : using physiological parameters for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 : Organic light emitting diodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling the position of a user of a wearable positional therapy device are provided. The wearable position therapy device can be configured to monitor and store physiological signals that can be used to assess sleep quality and sleeping position of a user. The device can be configured to be worn around the head, the neck, or body of the user. The device can be configured to provide feedback to a user if the user is sleeping or is positioned in a target position to induce the user to change positions. The feedback can be provided by one or more haptic motors that can be configured to provide various levels of feedback and the level of feedback can be customized based on the user'"'"'s reaction to the feedback.

Claims

1. A wearable position therapy device for influencing the position of a user of the wearable position therapy device, the device comprising:

a position detector configured to generate positional signal data that can be used to determine a position of the user;

a haptic feedback generator configured to generate tactile feedback to the user; and

a microcontroller in communication with the position detector and the haptic feedback generator, wherein the microcontroller is configured to

receive and analyze the signal data from the position detector to determine whether the user is in a target position, while, in response to the device being turned on or a reset operation, delaying feedback for a delay period to provide the user with an opportunity to fall asleep,

if it is determined that the user is in the target position during the delay period, not provide feedback to the user in order to allow the user to fall asleep in the target position, and,

if it is determined that the user is in the target position following the delay period, generate a control signal to cause the haptic feedback generator to provide tactile feedback to the user to induce the user to change to a different, non-target position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to gather baseline sleep data for a predetermined period of time before providing feedback to the user to induce the user to change positions.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a feedback module in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the feedback module is configured to provide at least one of audio and visual feedback to the user.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback module includes an audio output circuit for emitting audio signals to indicate that the wearable position therapy device is not applied correctly on the user.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback module includes a light-emitting diode that indicates that the wearable position therapy device has acquired and stored sleep data.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a persistent memory in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to store position therapy data, collected while the user is wearing the wearable position therapy device, in the persistent memory.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a data transfer interface configured to transfer the position therapy data collected by the microcontroller to an external computer system for analysis of the position therapy data and for generating a positional therapy report based on the position therapy data.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device can be worn around one or more of the neck, back, and torso of the user.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein, when configured to be worn around the neck of the user, the device includes an enclosure strap for holding the wearable position therapy device around the neck of the user, wherein the enclosure strap includes a detachable magnetic clasp that is configured to automatically release if the wearable position therapy device is snagged while the user is wearing the wearable position therapy device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide adaptive feedback to the user based on the user'"'"'s reaction to previously applied tactile feedback.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller is configured to increase the level of tactile feedback provided to the user if the user did not respond to a previous level of tactile feedback applied to the user.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the wearable position therapy device includes a microphone for capturing audio data, and wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive and analyze the audio data to detect snoring events.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback until the microcontroller determines that the user is asleep based on correlating the snoring event data with the positional signal data received from the position detector.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback until the microcontroller determines that the user is asleep based on either:

a snoring event detected from the audio data;

or

no movement being detected from the positional signal data for a predetermined time period.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback until the microcontroller determines that the user is asleep based on detecting user movement based on the positional signal data received from the position detector.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the position detector comprises one or more accelerometers.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the position detector comprises a pressure switch.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the position detector comprises a pressure sensor.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes an electronic feedback module for providing electrical feedback to the user to induce the user to change positions in response to control signals from the microcontroller.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback for a predetermined delay period.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to delay feedback for a second predetermined delay period in response to a reset operation performed by the user.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the position detector comprises a plurality of position sensors.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of position sensors are adapted to be positioned on a plurality of extremities of the user.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the plurality of position sensors are woven into a garment.

25. The device of claim 1, further comprising a positive feedback module that provides positive feedback, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine whether the user has changed to a different, non-target position, and generate a control signal to cause the positive feedback module to generate positive feedback if it is determined that the user has changed to the different, non-target position.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine which stage of sleep the user is in.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to adjust an intensity level of the tactile feedback based on the determined stage of sleep of the user.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to receive an identification of the target position from a user.

29. The device of claim 1, further comprising an energy-harvesting module that generates power for the wearable position therapy device from movements of the user.

30. A method for influencing the position of a user using a wearable position therapy device, the method comprising:

collecting positional signal data to determine a position of the user while the user is wearing the wearable position therapy device;

determining whether the user is positioned in a target position based, at least in part, on the positional signal data, while, in response to the device being turned on or a reset operation, delaying feedback for a delay period to provide the user with an opportunity to fall asleep;

if it is determined that the user is in the target position during the delay period, not providing feedback to the user in order to allow the user to fall asleep in the target position; and

,

if it is determined that the user is in the target position following the delay period, generating haptic feedback to the user to induce the user to change to a different, non-target position.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising collecting baseline sleep data for a predetermined period of time before generating feedback to the user to induce the user to change positions.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

capturing audio data; and

analyzing audio data to identify snoring events.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising determining whether the user is in a sleep state based on the occurrence of snoring events, wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback until it is determined that the user is in a sleep state.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining whether the user is asleep by detecting user movement based on the positional signal data received from the position detector indicative of the user being in a non-sleep state, wherein delaying feedback comprises delaying feedback until it is determined that the user is asleep.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein the position therapy device is applied to the neck of the user.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the position therapy device is applied to the back of the user.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein the position therapy device is applied to the torso of the user.

38. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

emitting an audio signal to notify the user that the position therapy device is not applied correctly to the user'"'"'s body.

39. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

transferring position therapy data collected by the wearable position therapy device to an external computer system for analysis of the positional therapy data; and

generating a positional therapy report based on the position therapy data.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein generating haptic feedback to the user to induce the user to change to a different, non-target position comprises providing a level-adaptive feedback to the user based on the user'"'"'s reaction to previously applied haptic feedback.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein providing level-adaptive feedback to the user based on the user'"'"'s reaction to previously applied haptic feedback comprises providing an increased level of haptic feedback to the user if the user did not respond to a previous level of haptic feedback applied to the user.

42. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

providing electrical feedback to the user to induce the user to change positions if the user is in the target position.

43. The method of claim 30, further comprising storing time-stamped data, wherein the time-stamped data comprises one or more of a sleep position, a sleep stage, an arousal, a snoring event, and feedback provided to the user.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising assessing a sleep quality based on the time-stamped data.

45. A wearable position therapy device for influencing the position of a user of the wearable position therapy device, the device comprising:

a position detector configured to generate positional signal data that can be used to determine a position of the user;

a haptic feedback generator configured to generate tactile feedback to the user; and

a microcontroller in communication with the position detector and the haptic feedback generator, wherein the microcontroller is configured to

receive and analyze the signal data from the position detector,

delay feedback for a delay period to collect baseline sleep data and provide the user with an opportunity to fall asleep,

determine whether the user is in a target position,

during the delay period, collect baseline sleep data, and,

if it is determined that the user is in the target position following the delay period, generate a control signal to cause the haptic feedback generator to provide tactile feedback to the user to induce the user to change to a different, non-target position.