Microphone for remote health sensing

• US 8,882,677 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precision Point Devices LLC
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Wolfe, Andrew, Conte, Thomas Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US14/030,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 600/509, 600/514, 600/516, 600/528, 607/60
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• 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 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• 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: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient

Abstract

A health sensing device is described for placement on a user. The device may include a sensor, a filter, and a transmitter. The sensor is configured to sense one or more factors relating to an indicator of a health related condition or occurrence. The filter is configured to evaluate a signal from the sensor and determine if the indicator has been detected. The transmitter is arranged for initiating a transmission based on a signal from the filter. The sensor can include one or more microphone devices, accelerometers, and/or MEMS devices. A method of monitoring a user for a health related condition is also described.

Claims

1. A method for a health sensing device to monitor a user for a health related condition, comprising:

sensing with a microphone sound associated with the user snoring to generate a sensor signal;

analyzing the sensor signal to determine if the sound associated with the user snoring reflects the presence of an indicator of the health related condition; and

initiating a transmission responsive to the analysis of the sensor signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the transmission includes selectively transmitting when the indicator is present.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising encoding the transmission signal with information including a determination of whether the indicator is present.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving the transmission and performing a process.

5. Tile method of claim 3, wherein performing a process includes stimulating the user with a stimulating device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein performing a process includes notifying a third party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the transmission includes continually transmitting a signal.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising encoding the transmission with data reflecting the sound of the user snoring and further comprising receiving the transmission and storing the data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing sound associated with the user snoring to generate a sensor signal comprises sensing sound generated by a snoring of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising affixing a flexible patch including a microphone to the user, and wherein sensing sound associated with the user snoring to generate a sensor signal comprises sensing the sound with the microphone.

11. A health action device for responding to an indicator of a health related condition or occurrence of a user, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a transmission from a transmitter on a health sensing device, wherein the health sensing device is configured to sense sound associated with the user snoring with a microphone, and communicate a receiver signal to a processor;

a processor configured to receive the receiver signal, interpret the receiver signal, and communicate a processor signal to a responder; and

a responder configured to receive the processor signal and conduct an action responsive to the health related condition.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the action includes notifying a third party.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the responder is an audio alarm and notifying a third party includes sounding the alarm.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor signal includes instructions responsive to the health related condition.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the instructions relate to treatment of a heart arrhythmia.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the responder is a shocking device adapted to shock the user according to the instructions.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the health sensing device comprises a flexible patch.