Adhesively mounted apparatus for determining physiological and contextual status

• US 9,168,001 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JB IP Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: BodyMedia Incorporated (AliphCom Corp.)
• Inventors: Stivoric, John M., Boehmke, Scott K., Teller, Eric, Kasabach, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US14/058,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 600/508
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 : for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 : for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1468 : using chemical or electrochemical methods, e.g. by polarographic means A61B5/1486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 : Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 : Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 : Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 : Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 : Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 : Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 : Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 : Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 : Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 : Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 : of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 : Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• 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 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 : Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

The invention comprises an apparatus for determining the contextual or physiological status of the individual wearing the apparatus. The apparatus is designed to be consumable or disposable. In most embodiments the invention comprises an adhesive housing. In some embodiments, two different sensors are secured to the housing. The apparatus is in electronic communication with a processing unit that can derive analytical status data by using the data received from the two sensors. In some embodiments, the processing unit is programmed to control other devices, or is programmed to trigger an event. In still other embodiments, the apparatus is in electronic communication with a separate computing device, which may contain the processing unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing including a bottom surface having a concave shape and an adhesive material disposed on a portion of the bottom surface, the adhesive material operable to removably attach said housing to an individual;

a first sensor including a first pair of temperature measuring devices and a second pair of temperature measuring devices, the first sensor mounted within said housing, the first pair of temperature measuring devices configured to generate temperature-related data of the individual and the second pair of temperature measuring devices configured to generate near-body ambient temperature data of an area near the individual,

the first and second pairs of temperature measuring devices are spaced apart from each other on a printed circuit board disposed within the housing, the first pair of temperature measuring devices are disposed adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the printed circuit board, and the second pair of temperature measuring devices are disposed adjacent to each other on opposite sides of a printed circuit board;

a second sensor mounted within said housing, said second sensor to generate data related to a change in resistance across the individual'"'"'s skin; and

a processing unit mounted within said housing in electronic communication with said first and second sensors, said processing unit programmed to use both of said temperature-related data from said first sensor and said data related to said change in resistance across the individual'"'"'s skin from said second sensor to derive analytical status data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing is comprised of a flexible material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a thermistor, a thermocouple, and a thermopile.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature-related data of said individual comprises said individual'"'"'s skin temperature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature-related data of said individual comprises said individual'"'"'s core temperature.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second sensor comprises at least two electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said at least two electrodes comprise a textured surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second sensor comprises a GSR sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said GSR sensor comprises a skin contacting surface, said skin contacting surface being textured.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a computing device in electronic communication with said processing unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said processing unit is located within said computing device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said computing device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a personal computer, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a sensor device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein processing unit is programmed to trigger an event based on said analytical status data.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said processing unit is programmed to control, based on said analytical status data, at least one of an interactive electronic media device and a separate apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said computing device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a personal computer, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a sensor device.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said computing device comprises at least one structure configured to input additional information related to said individual.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said processing unit is programmed to use said additional information to derive said analytical status data.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said computing device is programmed to trigger an event based on said analytical status data.

19. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said computing device is programmed to control, based on said analytical status data, at least one of an interactive electronic media device and a separate apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one structure configured to input additional information related to said individual.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said processing unit is programmed to use said additional information to derive said analytical status data.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is programmed to control a separate apparatus based on said analytical status data.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is programmed to trigger an event based on said analytical status data.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is programmed to control an interactive electronic media device based on said analytical status data.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display configured to display said analytical status data.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said display comprises an electrochemical display.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of nutrition.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of sleep.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of activity level.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of stress.

31. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of mind centering.