Vital signs monitoring using personal protective equipment
First Claim
1. A vital signs monitoring system formed as an integral part of personal protective equipment for users, and configured to provide real-time vital signs data of a user, the vital signs monitoring system comprising:
- a mouth guard configured to be worn over upper teeth in an oral cavity of a user to provide protection while leaving a roof of a user'"'"'s mouth uncovered, the mouth guard having a front and a top;
a temperature sensor configured to provide temperature data representative of a sensed temperature, the temperature sensor mounted at the top of the front of the mouth guard in a position such that when the mouth guard is correctly worn by a user, the temperature sensor is automatically placed in contact with a mucosal membrane above a gum line and outside a breathing passageway, wherein the temperature sensor is protected from exposure to ambient air and moving breathing air;
a flexible tether having a first end attached to the front of the mouth guard, a second end configured for attachment to another equipment located outside a user'"'"'s mouth, and a tether length between the first end and the second end, the tether length extending from the first end outside a user'"'"'s mouth; and
a controller module forming a part of the length of the tether at a position outside a user'"'"'s mouth, the controller module comprising a power source, a processor, and a transmitter, the processor configured to receive the sensed temperature data from the temperature sensor and to control the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the received temperature data to a remote location.
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Abstract
A vital signs monitor system is integrated with personal protective equipment (“PPE”) so that upon wearing the PPE, the monitor is placed in an operational position to monitor a vital sign. In one embodiment, the vital signs sensor comprises a thermal sensor located at a mouth guard to automatically make operational contact with tissue under the tongue when the mouth guard is worn. A second vital signs monitor comprising reflective pulse oximetry devices senses oxygen saturation and heart rate. Vital signs data are communicated to an RF module located in an associated helmet for transmission to a remote location. A gateway at that remote location receives the transmitted vital signs data and forwards that data to a data collection, organization, and access system that is programmed to make the vital signs data available over the Internet. Medical personnel, coaches, supervisors at the location of the PPE can monitor the vital signs of the wearer by accessing the data collection, organization, and access system with hand held, or portable computing equipment over the Internet.
60 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vital signs monitoring system formed as an integral part of personal protective equipment for users, and configured to provide real-time vital signs data of a user, the vital signs monitoring system comprising:
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a mouth guard configured to be worn over upper teeth in an oral cavity of a user to provide protection while leaving a roof of a user'"'"'s mouth uncovered, the mouth guard having a front and a top; a temperature sensor configured to provide temperature data representative of a sensed temperature, the temperature sensor mounted at the top of the front of the mouth guard in a position such that when the mouth guard is correctly worn by a user, the temperature sensor is automatically placed in contact with a mucosal membrane above a gum line and outside a breathing passageway, wherein the temperature sensor is protected from exposure to ambient air and moving breathing air; a flexible tether having a first end attached to the front of the mouth guard, a second end configured for attachment to another equipment located outside a user'"'"'s mouth, and a tether length between the first end and the second end, the tether length extending from the first end outside a user'"'"'s mouth; and a controller module forming a part of the length of the tether at a position outside a user'"'"'s mouth, the controller module comprising a power source, a processor, and a transmitter, the processor configured to receive the sensed temperature data from the temperature sensor and to control the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the received temperature data to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A temperature monitoring system formed as an integral part of personal protective equipment for users, and configured to provide real-time temperature data of a user, the temperature monitoring system comprising:
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a mouth guard configured to be worn in an oral cavity of a user in a correct position to provide protection from concussions, the mouth guard having a channel that accepts a row of teeth, the channel having an interior liner formed from a soft material configured to prevent damage to tooth enamel, the channel having inside and outside walls that are substantially parallel with one another, the row having teeth on either side of an oral cavity, wherein when a user correctly wears the mouth guard a roof of a user'"'"'s mouth is substantially uncovered; a temperature sensor configured for providing temperature data representative of a sensed temperature, the temperature sensor mounted to the mouth guard in a configuration such that when the mouth guard is correctly worn by a user, the temperature sensor is automatically placed in contact with a mucosal membrane of an oral cavity, the mucosal membrane being located outside a breathing passageway and above a user'"'"'s gum line, wherein the temperature sensor is protected from exposure to ambient air and moving breathing air; a flexible tether having a first end attached to the front of the mouth guard, a second end configured for attachment to another equipment located outside a user'"'"'s mouth, and a tether length between the first end and the second end, the tether length extending from the first end outside a user'"'"'s mouth; and a controller module comprising a microcontroller, a power supply, and a communication module configured to receive the sensed temperature data through a wired connection with the temperature sensor and wirelessly transmit the received temperature data to a remote location, the controller module forming a part of the tether length at a location outside a user'"'"'s mouth; and wherein the tether is mounted to the front of the mouth guard such that it is releasable from the mouth guard such that the controller module is reusable with another mouth guard. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for monitoring a vital sign of a user who wears personal protective equipment, the method comprising:
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mounting a temperature sensor to a mouth guard, the mouth guard configured to be worn in an oral cavity of a user in a correct position to provide protection to a user, wherein the sensor is mounted to the mouth guard in a position such that when the mouth guard is correctly worn by a user, the temperature sensor is automatically placed in contact with a mucosal membrane of an oral cavity, the mucosal membrane being located outside a breathing passageway, wherein the temperature sensor is protected from exposure to ambient air and moving breathing air; sensing temperature at a position along a mucosal membrane above a gum line of a user'"'"'s oral cavity; communicating data representative of the sensed temperature through a wired connection; connecting a first end of a flexible tether to the mouth guard and a second end of the tether to another equipment outside a user'"'"'s mouth, the tether having a tether length between the first end and the second end, the tether length extending from the first end outside a user'"'"'s mouth; connecting a controller module to the wired connection so that the controller module receives the sensed temperature data, the controller module comprising a power source, a processor, and a transmitter; processing the sensed temperature data from the temperature sensor; forming a part of the tether'"'"'s length at a position outside a user'"'"'s mouth with the controller module so that the communication module is located outside an oral cavity; and controlling the transmitter to wirelessly communicate the sensed temperature data to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification