Personal wellness device

• US 9,230,064 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ActivBody, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EZ As A Drink Productions Incorporated
• Inventors: Yanev, Kostadin Dimitrov, Vassilev, Angel Georgiev, Yanev, Ivo Kostadinov, Dobrev, Kamen Radev
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US13/527,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20130337976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/8, 482/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0053 by applying pressure, e.g. compression, indentation, palpation, grasping, gauging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/002 isometric or isokinetic, i.e. substantial force variation without substantial muscle motion or wherein the speed of the motion is independent of the force applied by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A personal wellness device comprise two housing bodies, a force sensor, a user interface, one or more processors, and/or other components. A first housing body and a second housing body may be movably coupled together by way of a coupling mechanism such that the two housing bodies are reconfigurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The force sensor may be configured to generate a force output signal that conveys information related to compressive force exerted on the two housing bodies while in the closed configuration. The user interface may be accessible with the two housing bodies in the open configuration. The one or more processors may be configured to execute one or more computer program modules, including a presentation module configured to present, via the user interface, information associated with compressive force exerted on the two housing bodies, the information being derived from the force output signal.

Claims

1. A personal wellness device, comprising:

two housing bodies including a first housing body and a second housing body, the first housing body and the second housing body being movably coupled together by way of a coupling mechanism such that the two housing bodies are reconfigurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the two housing bodies being configured to receive compressive force during personal exercise while in the closed configuration;

a force sensor configured to provide a force output signal that conveys information related to compressive force exerted on the two housing bodies while in the closed configuration, the force sensor being housed by one of the two housing bodies;

a user interface accessible with the two housing bodies in the open configuration, at least a portion of the user interface being inaccessible with the two housing bodies in the closed configuration, the user interface being configured to receive information from a user and provide information to the user, the user interface being housed by one of the two housing bodies; and

one or more physical processors housed by one of the two housing bodies, the one or more physical processors being configured by machine-readable instructions to;

effectuate presentation, via the user interface, of information related to the compressive force exerted on the two housing bodies including one or more of magnitude of force, duration of force, a force magnitude profile as a function of time, or a quantity of compressive forces.

2. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism includes one or more of a hinge, a joint, a swivel, or a sliding track.

3. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a camera device configured to capture visual data, the camera device being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

4. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising an actuator configured to provide tactile feedback to a user, the actuator being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

5. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a geo-location sensor configured to provide a location output signal conveying information related to a geo-location of the personal wellness device, the geo-location sensor being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

6. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor configured to provide a motion output signal that conveys information related to a motion and/or orientation of the personal wellness device, the motion sensor being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

7. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a pedometer configured to provide a step output signal that conveys information related to steps taken by a user carrying the personal wellness device, the pedometer being housed by one of the two housing bodies, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to effectuate presentation, via the user interface, of a number of steps taken by the user.

8. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a heart rate sensor configured to provide a heart rate output signal that conveys information related to a heart rate of a user associated with the personal wellness device, the heart rate sensor being housed by one of the two housing bodies, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to effectuate presentation, via the user interface, of the heart rate of the user.

9. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical muscle stimulation interface configured to removably couple the personal wellness device with an electrode, the electrode being configured to provide electrical muscle stimulation to a user, the electrical muscle stimulation interface being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

10. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a communications apparatus configured to receive information and/or transmit information from the personal wellness device, the communications apparatus being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

11. The personal wellness device of claim 10, wherein the communications apparatus includes one or both of a wireless communications interface or a wired communications interface.

12. The personal wellness device of claim 10, wherein the communications apparatus is configured to communicatively couple the personal wellness device with a user accessory, the user accessory being separate and distinct from the personal wellness device.

13. The personal wellness device of claim 10, wherein the communications apparatus is configured to communicatively couple the personal wellness device with a blood pressure sensor, the blood pressure sensor being configured to provide a blood pressure output signal that conveys information related to a blood pressure of a user associated with the personal wellness device, and wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to effectuate presentation, via the user interface, of the blood pressure of the user.

14. The personal wellness device of claim 10, wherein the communications apparatus is configured to communicatively couple the personal wellness device with a computing platform configured to receive and process information related to compressive force exerted on the two housing bodies.

15. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising electronic storage configured to electronically store information, the electronic storage being housed by one of the two housing bodies.

16. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a microphone configured to capture audio information, and wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive audio information captured by the microphone that includes a voice command; and

initiate, responsive to reception of the audio information including the voice command, an operation by the one or more physical processors corresponding to the voice command in the received audio information.

17. The personal wellness device of claim 1, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to provide a biometric output signal conveying information related to a biometric feature of a user, and wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to identify the user based on information derived from the biometric output signal.

18. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

monitor one or more vital signs of a user associated with the personal wellness device via a heart rate sensor or a blood pressure sensor included in or communicatively coupled with the personal wellness device; and

provide an emergency alert to an emergency response service responsive to individual ones of the one or more vital signs meeting a threshold condition.

19. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to back up information stored by the personal wellness device by transmitting information stored by the personal wellness device to a remote electronic storage configured to electronically store information.

20. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive software updates and/or firmware updates; and

implement the software updates and/or the firmware updates on the one or more physical processors.

21. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to provide interpersonal communications capabilities to the personal wellness device, the interpersonal communications capabilities including one or more of voice over internet protocol, short message service, multimedia messaging service, video conferencing, or telephony.

22. The personal wellness device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is entirely inaccessible with the two housing bodies in the closed configuration.