Incontinence monitoring and assessment
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects, the system comprising:
- a. a display means;
b. input means operable by a user;
c. one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored;
the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; and
d. a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters;
e. processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored;
wherein the processing means is configured to receive automatically, a sensor status indicator which distinguishes whether a sensor, or absorbent article associated with a sensor, is newly connected to the system or is instead re-connected to the system;
wherein the sensor status is determined by reference to a characteristic of a sensor status circuit on the absorbent article, the characteristic being determined by reference to one or more elements incorporated into the sensor status circuit, said elements selected from a group consisting of;
capacitors, expirable components, contactless devices, read only memory devices and programmable memory devices; and
wherein the sensor status circuit is configured to identify automatically a type of sensor with which it is associated, wherein a designated sensor type is associated with a designated capacitor value;
or wherein the sensor status circuit includes a fuse and the sensor status is determined to be newly connected to the system when the fuse is initially closed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects comprises display means; input means operable by a user; one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored; the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters; and processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored. The system may include a volume estimator and means for communicating to a carer a ‘risk of wetness leakage’ based on e.g. an estimated volume of wetness and e.g. a pad type. Pad type may be communicated to the system automatically by way of a pad type indicator associated with the pad and/or pad/sensor combination.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects, the system comprising:
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a. a display means; b. input means operable by a user; c. one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored;
the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; andd. a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters; e. processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored; wherein the processing means is configured to receive automatically, a sensor status indicator which distinguishes whether a sensor, or absorbent article associated with a sensor, is newly connected to the system or is instead re-connected to the system; wherein the sensor status is determined by reference to a characteristic of a sensor status circuit on the absorbent article, the characteristic being determined by reference to one or more elements incorporated into the sensor status circuit, said elements selected from a group consisting of;
capacitors, expirable components, contactless devices, read only memory devices and programmable memory devices; andwherein the sensor status circuit is configured to identify automatically a type of sensor with which it is associated, wherein a designated sensor type is associated with a designated capacitor value;
or wherein the sensor status circuit includes a fuse and the sensor status is determined to be newly connected to the system when the fuse is initially closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 21, 23)
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11. A sensor for detecting wetness events in an absorbent article, the sensor including an identifier circuit for automatic identification of one or both of:
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a. a pad type associated with the absorbent article; and b. a sensor status; wherein the identifier circuit facilitates distinguishing a sensor status as one of; a. newly connected;
or insteadb. re-connected; and wherein the identifier circuit facilitates identification of a particular pad type by reference to a characteristic of the identifier circuit selected from the group comprising; resistance, impedance, capacitance, inductance, a resonant frequency or a carrier frequency, a potential difference, a current value or electromagnetic field strength measurable from the identifier circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22)
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17. A method for monitoring incontinence in a subject wearing an absorbent article containing a wetness sensor coupled to a transmitter, the method including the steps of:
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a. transmitting from the transmitter continence-related data to a processor; b. estimating a volume of wetness in the absorbent article; c. the processor communicating display information to a display means for display of a visual representation of estimated wetness volume with respect to time; d. receiving automatically, a sensor status indicator which distinguishes whether a sensor, or an absorbent article associated with a sensor, is newly connected to the system or is instead re-connected to the system; and e. receiving a pad type indicator for an absorbent article and calculating a risk of wetness leakage from an absorbent article based on an the estimate of volume of wetness in the absorbent article and the pad type of the absorbent article. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification